India Clears Machine Guns, Rifles Acquisition Proposals For US$2.4 Billion

India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Tuesday approved three proposals valued at INR 15,935 crore (US$2.47 billion) to purchase Light Machine Guns, Assault Rifles and sniper rifles, for the troops deployed on the borders.

Chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the DAC approved acquisition of Light Machine Guns for the three services through the Fast Track Procedure at an estimated cost of over INR 1819 crore (US$283 million). “This procurement will meet the operational requirement of the troops deployed at the borders,” said a statement issued by the defence ministry, ET reports.

The ministry also cleared purchase of seven lakh forty thousand assault rifles for three services, which will be made by the Ordnance Factory Board and the private industry at an estimated cost of INR 12,280 crore (US$1.9 Billion), ET reports.

The third proposal approved is for the procurement of 5719 sniper rifles for the army and the air force at an estimated cost of INR 982 crore (US$152 million). “While these high precision weapons will be bought with ‘Buy Global’ categorisation, their ammunition will be initially procured and subsequently manufactured in India,” read the statement. 

Furthermore, for enhancing the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the Indian naval ships, the DAC also approved the procurement of Advanced Torpedo Decoy Systems.