The Ministry of Defence has sent a nine-member "empowered committee" headed by an Army brigadier to the US, Australia, South Korea, Israel and UAE to select new assault rifles and battle carbines for the armed forces.
"A 9-member empowered committee left on Saturday to visit five countries. They will trial evaluate the rifles and carbines of the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) or vendors in the different countries.
The FTP selection will be based on operational requirements, and not on the long-drawn normal procurement process of GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements), field trials, staff evaluation etc," said the sources in the defence establishment.
If the committee found the weapons suitable then it will be brought to India by the OEMs for "compatibility tests" with Indian ammunition.
The bids of those found compatible in the trials will subsequently be opened by the MoD.
There will be acquisition of 72,400 assault rifles, 93,895 carbines.
These procurement cases for rifles and carbines are worth Rs 1,798 crore and Rs 1,749 crore, respectively.
The Ministry of Defence has sent a nine-member "empowered committee" headed by an Army brigadier to the US, Australia, South Korea, Israel and UAE to select new assault rifles and battle carbines for the armed forces.
"A 9-member empowered committee left on Saturday to visit five countries. They will trial evaluate the rifles and carbines of the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) or vendors in the different countries.
The FTP selection will be based on operational requirements, and not on the long-drawn normal procurement process of GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements), field trials, staff evaluation etc," said the sources in the defence establishment.
If the committee found the weapons suitable then it will be brought to India by the OEMs for "compatibility tests" with Indian ammunition.
The bids of those found compatible in the trials will subsequently be opened by the MoD.
There will be acquisition of 72,400 assault rifles, 93,895 carbines.
These procurement cases for rifles and carbines are worth Rs 1,798 crore and Rs 1,749 crore, respectively.
