India’s soldiers still have to fight with clunky, outdated and unreliable rifles

[Psychic]

Wasn't PA checking Turkish rifles?

Sniper rifles to be precise.

 

[Mustang06]

Sniper rifles to be precise.

thanks!

 

[The_Sidewinder]

Chinese options aren't bad, but I doubt that'll be the case. PA may go for HK again, as they both have good relations. Just an fyi, Pakistan has been developing on the G3 for a long while, and is probably operating one of the most advanced versions of it in the world, and is continuing to develop it at hom. HK gave a licence to Pakistan to produce it at home, during PA's last rifle tender decades ago.

POF has for years been seeking funds for a locally developed rifle for the army, but I doubt that will happen any time soon. Another fyi, Pakistan has been developing very good clones of foreign rifles, some of which are being sold in the civilian market in foreign countries, including the US.

Thanks for the info sir.
And my appologies for trolling.

 

[Omega007]

Long wait. (Reuters/Danish Ismail)
One of the world’s largest tenders for assault rifles has been scrapped. And, as a result, one of the world’s largest armies must continue to wait for reliable weapons for its frontline troops.

Last month, after four years of deliberations, India’s defence ministry finally called off a project worth Rs4,850 crore ($765 million) to purchase 65,678 new assault rifles for the world’s third largest standing army. Assault rifles are weapons primarily used by the army’s infantry troops.

“I can confirm to you the information that the Indian Government has cancelled the tender,” Hana Smilkova, a spokesperson for Czech-rifle maker Ceska zbrojovka A.S, told Quartz via email. A defence ministry spokesperson did not respond to phone calls or messages from Quartz.

According to the 2011 tender, 65,678 assault rifles were to be procured from one of the five international companies that were invited for trials, with an option to make another 113,000 in India through technology transfers. American gunmaker Colt, Italy’s Beretta, Czech Republic’s Ceska, Israel Weapon Industries and SiG Sauer of Switzerlandwere the other companies selected for trials.

“The army remains without a critical and basic weapon system for the infantry, that forms the bulk of the fighting force,” James Hardy, Asia-Pacific editor for IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly, told Quartz via email.

For long, the Indian Army has attempted to find a replacement for its 5.56mm indigenous INSAS (Indian small arms system) rifle,which is currently in use. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had started work on the INSAS rifles in the early 1980s based on some foreign weapon designs, including the Kalashnikov. The prototype was finally designed in 1986 and went into bulk production in 1994. These rifles wereintroduced as a replacement for the much heavier 7.62mm self-loading rifles.

But the INSAS rifles were also known to have defects, which became increasingly prominent after the Kargil war of 1999. In 2003, for instance, a major revamp of the rifle was carried out as it reportedly splashed oil on the faces of soldiers while firing, if excess oil was used to clean the weapon. In 2010, before the tender was issued, as many as 69 incidents or defects were reported.

“It is inefficient and unable to operate in cold and hot climates,” said Hardy. This is a problem given the frontline terrain where the Indian Army is deployed.

That’s why a new weapon for the Indian infantry is so critical, although the procurement process was not without its problems. The rifles, according to the tender, were to have interchangeable barrels that can fire both the 5.56 mm INSAS and the 7.62 mm AK-47 rounds, which isn’t a particularly popular configuration.

“The assault rifle project was flawed from the beginning,” Ajai Shukla, a defence expert and a former Colonel in the Indian Army, said. “The costs were high and no country in the world uses such kind of rifles. It should have been scrapped a long time ago.”

Earlier this year, India’s army chief General Dalbir Singh had listed assault rifles as one of the seven most critical requirements of his troops. But with this tender scrapped, the Indian Army must now wait for a few more years before getting its hands on a new, reliable rifle.
India’s soldiers still have to fight with clunky, outdated and unreliable rifles - Quartz

Paid article, brother.And clearly the writer didn't do his homework too well,too many wrong info littered here are there.

 

[Omega007]

the way I look at it is overall cost. a good quality rifle might cost 6 times more than INSAS

And how do you know INSAS is not a good quality rifle??Did you test a specimen by yourself??And besides,the Excalibur,essentially an INSAS with different lighter metallurgy and outer furniture encountered only 2 stoppages during continuous firing of over 24000 rounds,where as the imported 'best quality' rifles as per you,like the Colt or Galil ACE or the out out of this world Beretta ARX 160 - all of them fared much worse in both Thar desert and high altitude areas!!And mind you,the internal mechanism of the Excalibur is virtually the same with that of INSAS with the same bolt carrier assembly and long stroke piston rotating bolt operations!!So what are we make of the expensive guns??Does that mean they are just over-hyped pieces of craps which come at exorbitant price tags??

but let's say a whole platoon of soldiers with INSAS rifles are killed or seriously wounded because their INSAS rifles malfunctioned in a long fire fight, then wouldn't that cost exceed the cost of them have a rifle that is 6 times the overall cost??? assuming $2,000 a rifle.

No such a thing has happened so far,at least not that it has ever been reported...........that soldiers had been killed or wounded as a result of their malfunctioning INSAS rifles.So the scenario,described by you,doesn't hold much of water.Clearly you are now clutching to a straw-man,lad.
And even if we are to take your argument as a valid one,I fail to realize why do we need to import those foreign guns when the MCIWS is fast inching towards its user trials??What do those imported guns offer that the MCIWS does not??It has got a fully machined two part modular receiver,ambidextrous mag release and fire selector,built in rails,ballistic computer for UBGL, interchangeable barrels,telescopic butt stock and light weight - everything!!So why would we be needing those super expensive foreign guns which,from time to time,have been proved to be totally unsuitable for Indian conditions??

that's how i look at it when we fire a hellfire missile that killed a few terrorists yeah that missiles cost what $100,000 but it probably saved soldiers lives and militarily vehicle.

Now that makes a lotta sense,can not disagree here.

And here is something little for you,though might interest you.

The above is an old interview of VK Singh,one of the former COAS of Indian Army,ex SF.If you do wanna judge this INSAS,then you should listen to both side of the story.

You should hope they do because I have serious questions on these new Guns

Your opinion,not facts.

 

[vk17]

In Tavor aka X-95, Insas and AK. I would prefer to take AK first then INSAS with me anyday in war. X-95 is most crappy rifle, I have ever known about. All foreign rifle are just exorbitantly highly priced. Foreign rifle are all same thing with different packaging.

 

[Saquib]

You have just posted the dumbest Idea ever. You think POF will be able to reverse engineer insas & make a better weapon of it. First reverse engineer G3 mate or type 56. Then we will talk. By the way, to your idea.



G3 is a good weapon. But what are PAs option. I bet you guys will opt for a chineese one.

It is case of our gun smiths and engineers are better than yours!
INSAS rifle design is not copy righted design and it will be a moral victory for POF or any Darra gunsmith if they can make inprovments and produce a good reliable rifle!

 

[The_Sidewinder]

It is case of our gun smiths and engineers are better than yours!
INSAS rifle design is not copy righted design and it will be a moral victory for POF or any Darra gunsmith if they can make inprovments and produce a good reliable rifle!

Well you can try if you want.

 

[Omega007]

In Tavor aka X-95, Insas and AK. I would prefer to take AK first then INSAS with me anyday in war. X-95 is most crappy rifle, I have ever known about. All foreign rifle are just exorbitantly highly priced. Foreign rifle are all same thing with different packaging.

In a jungle warfare,it makes sense??But what if you are engaged in conventional warfare in open terrain with clear line of sight??Then what??The M43 just does not cut it...............drops way too faster.

 

[Dandpatta]

If I were a Pakistani, I would have made Darra a brand in itself.

 

[salarsikander]

Indian soldiers use these outdated rifles and still they beat the shit out of so-called brave Pakistan army...hahaha

Butthurt are we? false fallger indian troll

 

[That Guy]

Wasn't PA checking Turkish rifles?

They're checking a lot of rifles. The MPT is based on the HK-416/417, so I guess that may be one of the reasons. Still, I am willing to bet that the next rifle is going to be HK.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

A slightly modified INSAS-Excalibur will enter production to replace base model INSAS.

This is probably one of the lastest Ex-INSAS. With the picatinny rail integrated closer to the rifle, and slight changes to the muzzle brake. There could be more in the talked about production version.

Till MCIWS is ready.

 

[That Guy]

A slightly modified INSAS-Excalibur will enter production to replace base model INSAS.

This is probably one of the lastest Ex-INSAS. With the picatinny rail integrated closer to the rifle, and slight changes to the muzzle brake. There could be more in the talked about production version.

Till MCIWS is ready.

It looks cool, but seems to be very heavy. What's the weight of it, because that may end up being an issue for the IA.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

It looks cool, but seems to be very heavy. What's the weight of it, because that may end up being an issue for the IA.

Which?

Multi Cal Rifle's Specs.

Ordnance Factory Board

Excalibur's Specs