India plans to purchase 44,618 close-quarter battle (CQB) carbines and 33.6 million rounds of ammunition. This deal is worth a potential $1 billion (Rs.4,440 crore). The Indian Army is looking at a 5.56 mm caliber system with a rate of fire of 660 rounds a minute. Foreign vendors are partnering with Indian firms.
Potential competitors include FN Herstal, Beretta, Heckler and Koch, Israel Weapon Industries Ltd (IWI), Colt Defense Llc, Bushmaster Firearms International Llc and Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd, among others. Singapore Technologies may not be allowed to compete. In addition to small arms and ammunition, India will purchase magazines, bayonets, slings, reflex sights and visible and invisible laser spot designators.
The selected carbines will likely be manufactured under licence by the new Indian ordnance unit at Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. In addition to the initial batch, India could manufacture another 116,764 carbines and 218,320 advanced carbines for an estimated $500 million. As many as 10,730 lightweight assault rifles for para-special forces may also be acquired.
