- The infantry weapon system constitutes
- Assault rifles
- Carbines
- Light Machine Guns
- India is trying to modernize its infantry weapon system which includes acquisition of 7 lakh assault rifles, 44,000 light machine guns and 44,600 carbines.
Ak-203
- 3-generation upgraded modern variant of the AK-47 assault rifle.
- Light weight about 3.5 kg (as against 4.15 kg of INSAS)
- 7.62x39mm NATO grade ammunition (INSAS-5.56 mm)
- 30-round magazine
- It can fire at a rate of 600 bullets per minute
- Range: 500m on iron sight and 800m on 4X zoom.
- AK-203 has a high grade poly hand grip and pistol grip. (AK-47 and INSAS has wooden grip)
- Adjustable foldable buttstock made of plastic and thus are easy to carry and transport.(buttstock is back of the rifle)
- Equipped with optical scopes, night vision scopes with thermal infrared scopes, flash light, red dot laser etc.
Note: Will equip the infantry groups, paramilitary forces and police forces in 15-20 years
- India will be manufacturing AK203 at Korwa, Uttar Pradesh in a JV with Russia.
SiG Sauer 716 Assault Rifles
- Replacement for ageing INSAS Rifles
- Range: 600m compared to requirement of 500 m range for counter-insurgency operations.
- Automatic rifles that are gas-operated i.e. they use gas generated by a fired cartridge to fire other bullets.
- Accurate, reliable thereby reducing fatigue of the ground soldier
- Note: SigSauer Assault Rifles are more advanced with greater fire-power will equip the frontline infantry troops for counter-insurgency and counter-terror operations only at LOC.
Carbines
India is signing a deal with UAE for acquiring 93,895 Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines.
