Indian Army to Acquire 73,000 Additional SiG Sauer Assault Rifles from US

The world's most dangerous rifle is about to come into the hands of the Indian Army soldiers stationed on the front lines on the border of Pakistan and China. India has signed a new agreement to buy 73,000 additional SiG Sauer assault rifles from the US. Earlier also 72,400 rifles have been purchased for the frontline army soldiers.

The new deal is in addition to this. The SiG-716 assault rifle is currently considered one of the most dangerous rifles in the world. Its range is 500 meters and it is of 7.62x51 mm caliber.

This modern rifle will be given to the soldiers of the infantry battalions deployed on the borders with China and Pakistan. India is continuously equipping its large armed forces with modern rifles. There is a delay in the manufacture of Russian AK-203 Kalashnikov rifles in India. This is the reason why a deal for 72,400 SiG-716 rifles was made with the US under a contract of Rs 647 crore.

This included 66,400 rifles for the Army, 2000 for the Air Force and Navy. The deal was made in February 2019 under fast-track procurement. All the rifles of this deal have arrived in India. The Rajnath Singh-led Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the purchase of additional 73,000 SiG-716 rifles in December last year. Apart from these, the army is also buying 40,949 light machine guns.

The machine gun deal is worth Rs 2,165 crore. The deal was approved by the DAC in August 2023.

The Indian Army has also received 35,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 rifles as the first consignment.

The AK-203 is being manufactured at the Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi district of UP under a joint venture called Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited. Six lakh AK-203 rifles are to be made in the Amethi factory in 10 years. These 7.62x39 mm caliber rifles with an effective range of 300 meters will be distributed to the Army, Air Force, Navy and paramilitary forces on the front lines.