Army to equip infantry with assault rifles

Army to equip infantry with assault rifles

In a move to modernise the infantry, the Army has floated a global tender—technically known as Request for Proposal (RFP)—for assault rifles to replace the INSAS rifles now used by the soldiers. The final winner will bag the order for more than seven lakh rifles.

The Army, at present uses ordnance factory manufactured 5.56 mm INSAS rifle and intends to go in for a lighter and more lethal standard rifle. The army will procure more than 70,000 rifles off the shelf from the selected vendor and the remaining lot will be manufactured by the ordnance factories under transfer of technology pact.