74K Sig Sauer rifles soon for soldiers guarding LAC, LoC
In an effort to equip frontline soldiers guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) facing China and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, the Army is all set to procure more than 74,000 assault rifles from the US. Given the current security situation, especially on the LAC in Ladakh, these rifles may be inducted through fast-track procedure.
These Sig Sauer rifles manufactured by a US firm will considerably bolster the firepower capabilities of the Indian Army infantry soldiers deployed on the 4,000-km long LAC and 750-km long LoC. Moreover, these versatile rifles will also enhance the close quarter battle capacity of the soldiers in the counter terrorist operations in Jammu & Kashmir.
Stressing these factors, sources said here on Sunday, the Army has already bought the first batch of 72,000 Sig Sauer rifles last year. The Rs 700 crore deal on fast track basis was inked in February 2019 and the rifles started arriving in December. Most of the lot is now in use in the Northern Command which guards the LAC, the LoC, anti-terrorist and anti-infiltration operations and the Siachen glacier.
The order for another batch of nearly 74,000 rifles will be placed as per the special financial powers granted to the armed forces for such emergency purchases, they said.
Since the assault rifle is the basic and most crucial weapon carried by the infantry soldier, the Sig Sauer rifles will replace the existing Indian Small Arms System (Insas) 5.56x45mm rifles used by the forces and manufactured locally by the Ordnance Factories Board.
The induction of these more than one and half lakh US made rifle, currently used by many countries around the world, will enable the soldiers to fight a modern day warfare, they said.
While the latest planned induction comes in the backdrop of tension for more than eight weeks on the LAC in Ladakh, a pending order for 16,000 light machine guns (LMG) was also placed.
These guns to be procured from Israel also form part of the infantry weapon system in both defensive and offensive roles.
Besides, these procurements on an urgent basis, efforts are on to start production of AK-203 assault rifles in India. These versatile rifles will be manufactured under joint production between India and Russia by the Ordnance Factory Board in Uttar Pradesh.
These rifles will replace the entire lot of more than 10 lakh INSAS rifles in the next few years. Headed by a serving Major General, the factory will later produce the AK series of rifles for the paramilitary forces and State police units. The entire project is more than 10,000 crores. Both the countries are now holding talks to resolve some issues which are delaying the important project.
The infantry had to wait for more than 10 years to acquire lighter and more lethal assault rifles to enable the soldiers to operate in all kinds of fast changing scenarios. The need for Sig Sauer assault rifles was repeatedly pitched in view of evolving security threats from both Pakistan and China.