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Army rejects 'Made in India' assault rifles manufactured by Ordnance Factory Board; finds weapon 'unsatisfactory', 'unreliable'

The Indian Army Which Has Set Its Sights On The Up Gradation And Modernization Of Its Arsenal And Equipment In Order To Make Its Force Leaner And Meaner Has Turned Assault Rifles Manufactured By Ordnance Factory Board

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Gautam Lalotra | Updated on: 22 Jun 2017, 12:35:07 PM
INSAS Rifle - File Photo

New Delhi:

The Indian Army which has set its sights on the upgradation and modernization of its arsenal and equipment in order to make its force leaner and meaner has turned assault rifles manufactured by Ordnance Factory Board stating that they didn't meet the desired standards.

As per media report, the army has said that home-made assault rifles that were meant to replace AK-47s and Indian Small Arms System rifles (INSAS) were not good enough, as per a media report.

According to NDTV, the indigenous assault rifle manufactured by the government's Ordinance Factory Board (OFB) failed basic tests last week, which included, excessive recoil and "excessive flash and sound signature". The media house quoted sources as saying that a "complete redesigning of the magazine" was needed to make loading the rifle easier.

Demonstration firing of the 7.62 x 51 mm rifle made by the Rifle Factory Ichapore, Kolkata — took place on June 13 and 14. Following this, the army’s project management team said the gun was “only a prototype that requires comprehensive design analysis and improvement”. 

The Army is very stringent about the quality of weaponry it wants its forces to use and doesn't compromise one bit on the standards it sets. The Army had rejected an earlier indigenous rifle called the Excalibur last year. Armymen at present are using AK-47s and INSAS, which are made in India. They were inducted in the Army in 1988.

With India still importing 65 percent of its military requirements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly favoured making the country self-reliant in the defence sector.

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First Published : 22 Jun 2017, 12:14:00 PM

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