Indian Army: News and Discussion

Dessert Storm

New Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2020
Messages
1,675
Likes
5,868
Country flag
Army asks private firms to meet its ammunition requirements for next 10 years
The Army has asked private industries to meet the annual requirement for different types of ammunition, including rifle bullets and artillery rockets, for the next 10 years. The move, however, comes with a rider that interested manufacturers will not receive any financial support for their venture.

In a series of requests for information (RFI) issued on Tuesday, the Master General of Ordnance’s Branch at Army Headquarters has sought to identify prospective manufacturers for participating in the indigenous manufacture of ammunition.

The types of ammunition to be manufactured include rockets for the 300mm SMERCH and 122 mm BM21 systems, 90 mm shoulder-fired rocket launcher, 155 mm, 40 mm and 20 mm rounds for artillery and air defence guns as well as 7.62 mm and 9 mm rounds for different rifles and carbine.


The annual requirement projected to be sourced from the private sector varies from a few dozen rounds for systems like SMERCH rockets to about 70 lakh 7.62 mm bullets.

While inviting private firms for manufacturing ammunition, the Army has also made it clear that the government will neither provide any special concessions nor any funding or investment to facilitate setting up requisite infrastructure by participating firms.

The manufacturers will also be responsible to obtain necessary clearances under the Arms Act from the Ministry of Home Affairs, manufacturing licenses from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion as well as any other permissions necessary for the manufacture of ammunition in India.

Each type of ammunition has various variants or type of warhead to be used for different purposes. The Russian-origin SMERCH rockets, for example, can be equipped with cluster warhead, fuel-air explosive warhead and a high explosive fragmentation warhead. Similarly, the 7.62 mm rounds are for use in assault rifles and different types of sniper rifles.

The army has approached the private industry earlier for indigenous manufacture of ammunition. While some private manufacturers are supplying certain types of ammunition, the bulk of the indigenous supply comes from the state-run Ordnance Factory Board. A large quantity, especially that of critical and specialized ammunition, continue to be imported.

The shift towards the private industry to meet defence requirements is part of the government’s efforts to facilitate the development of indigenous capacity, reduce import dependence and with the long-term objective of building capacity within the industry as a robust alternative source of ammunition. The government has approved manufacturing of eight selected ammunition for Indian Army by the Indian Industry.

In 2017, the government had initially identified eight types of ammunition that could be produced by the private sector. The armed forces are also identifying weapons and equipment that will be placed on the ‘negative list’ to curtail their imports and switch their procurement to indigenous sources. Later, the government also allowed domestic private companies to tie up with foreign firms that had been banned for corrupt practices to manufacture ammunition.
SSS Defence has a collaboration to manufacture bullets with CBC Global. Bharat Forge can do Arty Shells.
 

shuvo@y2k10

New Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
2,653
Likes
6,710
Country flag
This is a very good move. However I am very skeptical of this part. I doubt that small pvt. players will be interseted, only big ones likes Kalyani.
The move, however, comes with a rider that interested manufacturers will not receive any financial support for their venture.
While inviting private firms for manufacturing ammunition, the Army has also made it clear that the government will neither provide any special concessions nor any funding or investment to facilitate setting up requisite infrastructure by participating firms.
 

12arya

New Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2017
Messages
4,208
Likes
15,083
Country flag

12arya

New Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2017
Messages
4,208
Likes
15,083
Country flag

12arya

New Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2017
Messages
4,208
Likes
15,083
Country flag

Indian Army equips troops with American assault rifles amid stand-off with China in Ladakh
4 days ago





The Army is equipping its troops amid a stand-off with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) along the LAC in Ladakh with new assault rifles bought from the US — SIG 716 — under emergency procurement.

While the initial lot of the modern assault rifles from the US was sent to those guarding the Line of Control with Pakistan and for counter-terrorism operations in Kashmir, troops at the LAC in the northern sector in Ladakh are also being equipped with it.

“It (Sig Sauer Rifles) should have reached them by now,” said a highly-placed source in the government, when asked if the troops at the frontlines in Ladakh are armed with the erstwhile INSAS rifles or the new American ones.

The Army had in February last year ordered 72,400 SIG 716 G2 Patrol assault/battlefield 7.62×51 mm rifles for its frontline troops and the American firm has completed the delivery.
These were meant to replace the obsolete Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56×45 mm rifles.

The rest of the force is supposed to be equipped with the AK 203, which is to be manufactured jointly by Russia and India under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
 

garg_bharat

New Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2015
Messages
5,078
Likes
10,138
Country flag
:facepalm: ITI ! its a worthless PSU filled with lazy sods worse than OFB . Gawd, this will never see the light of day. My father who worked in telecom sector in 80s told me that ITI made telephone equipment has the worst quality !
Don't be so negative. Things change.
 

Articles

Top