Indian Army to procure 4.25 lakh 5.56*45-mm CQB carbines (Photo: DRDO)
New Delhi: Bharat Forge, a subsidiary of Kalyani Strategic Systems, has emerged as the lowest bidder in the Indian Army’s tender for over 4 lakh close-quarter battle (CQB) carbines. The contract is estimated to be worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore.
On Monday, the Defence Research and Development Organization announced on X that its 5.56×45 mm CQB carbine, developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), had been selected as L1 in the Army’s request for proposal. The organization said the selection would boost indigenous capabilities in critical technology.
Now, if everything goes as planned, Bharat Forge will be manufacturing these carbines, which the DRDO developed.
The defence ministry’s acceptance of necessity, issued in 2022, stated that the Army required 425,213 units of 5.56 x 45mm CQB carbines to be procured under the “Buy (Indian)” category.
The “Buy (Indian)” category covers products from Indian vendors meeting specific conditions: products that are indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured with minimum 50 per cent indigenous content on cost basis; or products with 60 per cent indigenous content on cost basis, regardless of design origin.
Technical specifications
According to the acceptance of necessity, the CQB carbine must have an effective range of at least 200 metres and include a bayonet with minimum blade length of 120mm, provided with suitable cover. The carbine’s weight, without magazine and accessories, should not exceed 3 kilograms plus 10 per cent tolerance.
CQB carbines are designed for urban operations, close-range contacts and counter-terrorism missions. They are modified to be lighter, easier to handle and smaller than standard rifles while maintaining effectiveness and manoeuvrability.
