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The Ministry of Defence has cleared a proposal to purchase 70,000 more semi-automatic assault rifles from US-based Sig Sauer for Indian Army which is already using them from 2019 onwards. The repeat order for acquisition of Sig Sauer is valued at ₹800 crore, said defence sources.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of Ministry of Defence held recently to arm soldiers deployed in counter-insurgency duties and at borders with long range Sig Sauer rifles. So far, India has already purchased over 72,400 7.62 x 51mm calibre Sig Sauer assault rifles, of which Army got 66,400, Air Force 4000 and Navy 2000, offering an alternative to indigenously made INSAS and Kalishnikov rifles.
In May last year, there were reports, however, that India had cancelled the order for purchase same weapons from the US due to operations reasons. Later, the government went ahead with the deal due to its high calibre and longer range, said defence sources. The armed forces have recently acquired Russian AK-103 in significant numbers besides its expected deliveries of the AK-203 which are being manufactured at a Amethi faced after the two countries inked a joint venture.
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