Quad summit 2021
In a major setback to Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence, the Indian Army has decided to equip its more than 400 infantry battalions with US-made Sig Sauer assault rifles. The military top brass is going ahead with the decision due to multiple delays in the manufacturing of homegrown AK-203 that will be made with the assistance of India s long term defence partner Russia.
Notably, the Army purchased the Sig 716 G2 Patrol assault rifles, chambered for 7.6251 mm ammunition, under the Fast-Tracked Process (FTP) in 2019 for frontline soldiers stationed at borders and engaged in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. All infantry battalions, on the other hand, are now receiving American rifles.