The Indian Army is proceeding with the acquisition of new assault rifles and carbines to meet a long overdue requirement. However, the problem is that the Army is changing its requirement-parameters too often and too soon, causing delays in procurement and embarrassment to the manufacturers. A report by Geopolitics Bureau.
The Indian Army is proceeding with another attempt to procure much-needed new generation assault rifles and carbines, following approval by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in January for the purchase of 72,400 assault rifles and 93,895 carbines. The DAC, which is led by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, approved the procurement of the weapons on fast track basis for ₹3,547 crore to meet an immediate requirement for the infantry.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Army had finalised the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs) for new assault rifles in July, 2017. Approximately 1,85,000 assault rifles, with an initial requirement for 65,000 of them, increased to 72,400 by the DAC. The assault rifles being sought by the army must have the ability to integrate the Indian in-service Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) manufactured by Indian Ordnance Factory. The new assault rifles will have to remain in service for at least 25-30 years.
The Army requires 4,00,000 5.56 mm carbines. While the immediate requirement was for 83,000 carbines, the DAC has approved the purchase of almost 94,000. Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines must weigh less than 3kg and be of modular design.
A Request for Information (RFI) has also been issued for 7.62mm x 51mm light machine guns (LMGs), sniper rifles and anti-material rifles. The RFP for the LMG requirement is slated to be issued in May 2018 and the total requirement is for 45,000 LMGs. The RFI calls for 9,000 LMGs to be delivered within 4 to 28 months of the contract being inked. 5,000 sniper rifles are also needed. The Army has been seeking to acquire new assault rifles and carbines since 2011 and currently operates a bewildering array of assault rifles sourced from all over the world.
This story is from the February 2018 edition of Geopolitics.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2018 edition of Geopolitics.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Lessons From Gaza And Lebanon
The ongoing war, loosely called the Gaza War, is actually being fought in two different loosely connected segments; against the Hamas with a spill off in the West Bank and East Jerusalem areas against Palestinian factions and against the Hezbollah in Lebanon with a spill off in Syria. Treating Israel-Hamas War and the Lebanon War as separate entities, RAJ MEHTA explains the lessons from these wars
POSITIVE STEPS TOWARDS POTENTIAL REGIONAL COOPERATION
It has been a whirlwind of diplomatic activity for India recently. India participated in both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO) summit that took place in Islamabad on October 15-16, and the 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, from October 2224, 2024. These back-to-back summits within a short span of time underscore India's active role in shaping regional and global diplomacy, balancing national interests with multilateral cooperation
THE EAGLE'S EYE TEJAS MK-II RADAR PIERCES VEIL OF THE SKY
The Tejas Mk-II, featuring DRDO's GaN-based Uttam AESA radar, marks a major leap in India's defence, enhancing range, precision, and multi-target tracking capabilities, highlights GIRISH LINGANNA
PRIME MOVER
The indigenously developed Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) has received a boost with its first export order from the Kingdom of Morocco
TRANSFORMATIONAL INDUCTION
The GA-ASI MQ-9B will dramatically enhance the ISR and precision strike capabilities of the Indian armed forces
TACAN PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
Navigation systems have evolved significantly since the Viking era, with Tactical Air Navigation TACAN) now widely used for air and sea travel. Post-World War Il, reliable systems became essential for safety and efficiency, as highlighted by DR. SUJAN KUMAR SARASWATI, in this article on TACAN’s operational principles.
AIRBORNE TRACKER
Indigenous efforts towards AEW&C and AWACS platforms need to be stepped up even as international programmes extend the current state-of-the-art for such aircraft, highlights
AFFORDABLE LETHALITY THE INDIAN DILEMMA
India's defence dilemma is now being complicated by the lessons learnt in the Ukraine and Gaza wars because these conflicts are reshaping the way wars are fought in the modern world.
FROM IMPORTS TO SELF-RELIANCE IN ARMS
Self-reliance in Defence Production needs new ideas, new definitions _es and an appropriate methodology, argues AMIT COWSHISH
"THE INDIAN AIR FORCE IS WORKING HARD TO REMAIN A CREDIBLE AIR FORCE"
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 21, 1984, Air Chief Marshal AMAR PREET SINGH PVSM AVSM took over as the 28th Air Chief of India on September 30, 2024.
