India Buys 425,000 Close-Quarters Carbines for $ 315 Million.

Oct 2025 : India has awarded a 27.7 Billion Rupees ($315 million) contract to Israeli Indian joint venture PLR Systems and domestic manufacturer Bharat Forge to supply 425,000 numbers of Close Quarters Battle (CQB) carbines.

At least 60% of the production is expected to take place in India, according to a report by the official sources. While, Bharat Forge will handle most of the local manufacturing about 60%; PLR Systems, jointly owned by Israel Weapon Industries and India’s Adani Group, will deliver 40% of the contract.

The new 5.56x45mm carbines are designed to replace aging 9x19mm submachine guns. They offer greater range, precision, and stopping power for use in close-quarters combat and urban operations. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2026, with full completion expected by 2028.

The contract marks one of the largest small-arms procurements in recent years. Infantry Director General – Lieutenant General Ajay Kumar said the deal is part of India’s ongoing push to modernise its infantry arsenal and increase indigenization in defence procurement to ensure that frontline units have lighter, modular weapons.

The CQB program focuses on providing troops with a compact, high-rate-of-fire carbine optimised for short range engagements and urban combat. This procurement follows several other Indian small-arms modernisation efforts.

In 2023, India began inducting SIG 716 rifles for frontline infantry, when India’s Ministry of Defence has approved the purchase of 70,000 Sig Sauer SiG 716 assault rifles for the Indian Army. The weapons, set to be used in counter-terrorism and other major operations, had cost the exchequer around 800 crore Indian rupee ($96 million). It was the second time India has ordered the capabilities from the US. The country purchased 72,400 of the 7.62x51mm-calibre rifles in 2019 as part of its Buy (Global) initiative. The push for more infantry firepower was initiated amid military standoffs with China and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The next is the AK-203 assault rifles produced through Indo-Russian joint manufacturing at the Korwa ordnance factory in Amethi. The AK-203 was intended to replace India’s indigenously developed Insas 5.56×45mm rifles. The AK-203 is the latest iteration of the AK series of assault rifles and is the modernised variant of the AK-103 rifle. The 3.8 kilograms (8.3-lb) weighted rifle is capable of firing 700 rounds per minute at a range of 500–800 metres (1,640-2,625 feet) and a magazine capacity of 30 rounds.

The Indian Army has also been expanding contracts for night-vision optics, Netro NW 3000 Night Vision Weapon Sights. The Netro NW 3000 is compatible with standard assault rifles and enhances target detection and engagement capabilities in low-light and night operations.

Loitering munitions, and advanced soldier systems has been channelised as a part of Indian Army’s Future Infantry Soldier As a System program. These initiatives aim to boost the self-reliance and combat readiness of India’s armed forces through domestically anchored production and sustained technology partnerships.

Team Maverick