The move has come after Army chief General Bipin Rawat in January this year had raised the concern of the lack of modern weapons for the Army.
The BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on Wednesday gave a green signal to produce 7.47 lakh Kalashnikov assault rifles for the Indian Army. The rifles will be produced by a Russian joint venture firm and Ordnance Factory Board and a plant will be set up in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district under Make in India initiative. The move has come after Army chief General Bipin Rawat in January this year had raised the concern of the lack of modern weapons for the Army.
After the government's nod, an agreement between the Ordnance Factory Board and Russia's Kalashnikov Concern is likely to be signed soon. Prior to this, the Centre had entered into a deal with a US-based M/s Sig Sauer firm for procuring 72,4000 assault rifles for the Army. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had also cleared the proposal for procuring Sig Sauer rifles for Indian Army troops deployed at the Indo-China border.
Media reports say that Russia has been making efforts since last year to push for the deal and producing Kalashnikov assault rifles for the Indian Army.
The Kalashnikov assault rifles will not only add a bunch of modern weapons for the Indian Army but it will also act as a boost to PM Modi's Make in India push. It was decided during the India-Russia intergovernmental commission meeting which held in December 2018 that Kalashnikov rifles will be a Make in India venture.
The new modernise weapons will certainly help Indian troops who are deployed along the international border.
There is also a possibility that the infantry division of the Indian army will be handed over around 50,000 assault rifles once the deal is inked between Ordnance Factory Board and Russian Joint venture firm for producing 7.47 lakh rifles.
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