Indian Armed forces Gets 72,400 Assault Rifles From US Firm Sig Sauer

After scouting for a decade, Defence Ministry clears the contract for  Sig Sauer 72,400 Assault Rifles for the Army.  Sig Sauer 7.62mm rifles are currently being used my US army and forces from many European countries.

Headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire, SIG SAUER is the largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers.

A contract for the procurement of 72,400 Assault Rifles through the Fast Track Procurement (FTP) from Sig Sauer, US was signed today and will be delivered over the next 12 months.

These new assault rifles will come at a cost of around Rs 700 crore. Out of total 72,400 Assault Rifles 66,000 will be given to Indian Army and rest will be for Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force  

The Indian forces are currently using 5.56×45 mm INSAS Rifle which were built and developed by state owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), which needed to be replaced on urgent basis with the most modern technologically advanced and compact 7.62×51 mm Assault Rifle. 

The Indian Army has been pushing for fast-tracking the procurement of various weapons systems for not only modernising the weapons they carry but also to meet with the emerging threats along the long borders shared with China and Pakistan. 

In 2017, the Army began the process to acquire around 7 lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines.