The Indian Army has started inducting its newly acquired American SiG Sauer assault rifles in counter-insurgency operationsin Jammu and Kashmir, ANI reported.
According to report, in addition, the Indian Army has also started getting supplies of ammunition for its sniper rifles as more than 21 lakh rounds have been ordered from vendors.
“The first lot of 10,000 SiG 716 assault rifles has arrived in India and has been sent to the Northern Command,” top Indian Army sources told ANI.
India had signed an over Rs 700 crore contract to equip the Indian Army with 72,400 new assault rifles.
The rifles are being supplied by US arms maker Sig Sauer. They will be manufactured in the US and will be supplied within a year since the contract for the new guns is being made under fast-track procurement (FTP), it said.
A majority of these rifles — 66,000 — are for the Indian Army. The remaining will be divided between the Indian Navy (2,000) and the Indian Air Force (4,000).
The Sig Sauer SIG716 7.62×51 mm assault rifles will replace the Indian-made 5.56x45mm Insas rifles.
The Indian Army will also receive a major boost with the induction of more than 7 lakh AK-203 assault rifles which are going to be produced in the joint venture between India and Russia, reported ANI.
