The German company SIG Sauer, one of the leading manufacturers of small arms, has signed an agreement with the Defense Ministry of India. The subject of the contract is the supply of 72,400 SIG716 assault rifles for the needs of the state ground forces.
Delivered rifles will come to replace the standard weapons of ground forces - rifles INSAS. It was put into service in the 90s of the last century, but in 2010 it was declared unsuitable for further use in the troops.
SIG716 is in service with the US Army and some states of the European Union.
In India, it will be used in units that conduct military operations against terrorists. In addition, these weapons will be transferred to units deployed along the lines of India’s disputed borders with Pakistan and China.
Its choice on the rifle SIG716 of the Ministry of Defense of India stopped after comparing it with other similar products - Arabic CAR817 and Israeli ACE1. The reason for the choice was the low price. For SIG716, the company requested $ 990, for CAR817, the manufacturer requested $ 1,200, and for ACE1, the manufacturer requested $ 1,600. In the course of the comparison, all the companies successfully conducted test shooting, first at their own ranges, then at the shooting ranges of the Indian army. During the test firing used ammunition, made in the Indian company OFB.
The Indian Army is in need of 695,600 assault rifles. There are plans to expand production of licensed production of a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle in India. For this, the capacities of OFB (Ordnance Factory Board) weapons factories will be involved.
