These AR-style rifles are about to win a major Indian military contract

[Sine Nomine]

We actually use a short stroke piston rifle, in VZ58 and it is pretty reliable, it operated in large numbers by Indian forces, I was tempted to buy a semi VZ58 a couple of years back but ran out of luck before I could get my hands on it. SCAR, Bren, HK 416/417, ACR all are short stroke piston driven guns and are increasingly seeing service in armies that can afford them. I would actually be even happy with a DI gun in small numbers for the IA, I have not encountered any problem with my AR10 or AR15, but then again my use is nothing compared to real operators.

Vz is a great weapon but a fairly simple design and it was mostly deployed in Kashmir,which isn't having dust problem,that Punjab and Rajasthan would have.
Environment of Sub-Continent along with common lethargy among our populace supports Long Stroke gas pistons.
We have used AR's in huge numbers and they must be well maintained and they can't take as much beating as a LS driven AK would take.

I dont think kickbacks was the issue, ARDE did a bit of sloppy work with the 5.56x30 cartridge, as well as JVPC operating design. Good PDW's usually are blowback simple systems, like UZI's or B&T Mp9, there was no need to make the JVPC a bulky system. Next the cartridge, 5.56x30 minsas, wanted to be a 5.7x28 type cartridge but lacked the needed engineering, it turned out to be a shortened 5.56 nato cartridge. In Carbine there really was little to offer by the minsas 10.5" offereing; JVPC might still make it into smaller numbers.

In my opinion JVPC is a more like between sub-machine gun and carbine and that's a good concept because Sub Machine Guns are going fast out of service.
Sig MPX uses same system like AR.

 

[Tshering22]

OFB makes what ARDE designs, the same OFB also makes Arjun, T90 Bhishma, CRN91, GSH23/30, Vidhwansak, IFG 105, LFG 105.

Come on dude. Let's not digress.

T-90 is assembling that's all.

CRN91 is re-made Shipunov 2A42-based cannon mounted on a naval turret.

The IFG 105 was based on L3 field gun of the Brits.

All tried and tested platforms.

Vidhwansak and Arjun which were latest design, perform well but were inducted much much later than their immediate need.

The point is, government agencies suck at timely performance if they start something new. Even after 50+ years, they cannot do a good job.

 

[MilSpec]

Come on dude. Let's not digress.

T-90 is assembling that's all.

CRN91 is re-made Shipunov 2A42-based cannon mounted on a naval turret.

The IFG 105 was based on L3 field gun of the Brits.

All tried and tested platforms.

DPSU that manufactures every thing from tents to socks, parachutes to drop tanks, Mobility systems to pistols. ARDE is a premier design agency, if it designed a system like SCAR OFB would make it, if it designed a system like Minsas OFB would make it too. Insas is not a case of poorly manufactured product; OFB made exactly what ARDE designed.

Going forward, either ARDE needs to do a better job along with OFB; or OFB needs to look at additional design partners within Indian private sector to deliver solutions that the forces actually need.