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The revolutionary pistol ASMI is the brainchild of Col Prasad Bansod from the Infantry School, Mhow and supported by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune.

Developed in a record time of just four months, ASMI is an impressive feat of engineering prowess, firing the in-service 9 mm ammunition. ASMI boasts an upper receiver crafted from aircraft-grade aluminium and a lower receiver made from carbon fiber, utilising cutting-edge 3D printing technology for components like the trigger.

ADMI sports an 8-inch barrel and a high-capacity 33-round magazine, weighs under 2 kgs when empty, offering versatility with its full-length integral Picatinny rail and M-Lok slots for accessories.

The potential applications of ASMI within the Armed Forces are vast, catering to various roles including personnel weapon for vehicle detachments, commanders, tank and aircraft crews, drivers, dispatch riders, radio/radar operators, close-quarters combat (CQB), counter-insurgency (CI), counter-terrorism (CT) operations, VIP protection, and policing duties.

The name “ASMI,” symbolising pride, self-respect, and the diligent efforts behind its creation, resonates the significance of indigenous production. With an estimated production cost of under Rs 50,000 per unit, ASMI holds promise not only for domestic security forces but also for potential export markets, reflecting India’s strides towards self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing.

Similarly, the JD Taurus joint venture formed by Brazilian company Taurus Armas SA in collaboration with Jindal Defence, is set to supply 550 T9 submachine guns to the Indian Army for the first time. The deal valued at approximately Rs 4.26 crore, marks a substantial advancement in bilateral relations, particularly within the defence sector.

The contract to supply T9 submachine gun will ensure timely and best of the technology being available to the Indian armed forces and the paramilitary forces. In the joint venture company JD Taurus, Taurus Armas SA holds a 49 percent stake and this partnership underscores the growing cooperation between India and Brazil in defence.

The Indian Army’s acquisition of 550 advanced submachine guns signifies its commitment to modernising its arsenal and enhancing operational capabilities. At the same time, the intense competition from vendors like PLR Systems, Jindal Defence, and Lokesh Machine Limited, this procurement showcases India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.

Jindal Defence’s Taurus T-9 submachine gun has emerged as a formidable contender in India’s defence market. Recently, Jindal Defence Systems Private Limited (JDSPL) inaugurated its state-of-the-art firearms manufacturing facility in Hisar marking a significant stride towards revolutionising India’s domestic weapons production and reducing reliance on imports. The sprawling two-acre facility amalgamates global expertise with cutting-edge technology.

JD Taurus is strategically positioned to address the escalating demand within India with an annual production capacity of 250,000 weapons. In the upcoming fiscal year, the company targets a production output of 25,000 to 30,000 firearms, facilitated by rapid scalability and product diversification.

JD Taurus’ facility boasts certifications for a diverse range of products, with substantial value addition in India for rifles, carbines, submachine guns, machine pistols, and revolvers.

While logistical challenges may arise, including maintenance and spare parts management, the decision to procure submachine guns from multiple suppliers underscores India’s pressing defence needs and the strategy to diversify procurement channels. Moreover, this approach ensures timely delivery of critical firearms to bolster national security efforts.

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The defence ministry placed the order, on 23 September, for the 118 Arjun Mk-1A main battle tanks (MBT), for the Indian Army at a cost of Rs 7,523 crore. Mk-1A is a new variant of Arjun tank, infused with 72 new features, with the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi, Chennai.

The new variant is designed to enhance fire power, mobility and survivability, infused with 72 new features and more indigenous content from the Mk-1 variant. The ministry said the tanks would ensure effortless mobility in all terrains, besides precise target engagement during day and night.

It has been designed and developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) by incorporating numerous upgrades on Arjun MBT, the in-service main battle tank with the Indian Army.

It said the production order to Heavy Vehicles Factory will open up a large avenue in defence manufacturing for over 200 Indian vendors including MSMEs, with employment opportunities to around 8,000 people.

It said the MBT Arjun Mk-1A has been designed and developed by Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), along with other laboratories of DRDO within two years (2010-12).

“Extensive trial evaluation was conducted in various phases covering 7000 plus kms (both in DRDO and user trials) of automotive and substantial firing of various ammunition during 2012-2015,” it said.

The army already operates 124 Arjun Mark 1 MBTs. It has stoutly resisted ordering more, arguing that the 62.5-tonne tank was too heavy to be transported over bridges and culverts near the border.

Eventually, in a tank-versus-tank face-off in the Rajasthan desert in March 2010, one squadron (14 tanks) of Arjuns was pitted against an equal number of Russian T-90 tanks, which the army wants to buy more of. Top army generals who witnessed the trial admitted the Arjun performed superbly. Whether driving cross-country over rugged sand dunes; or accurately hitting targets with its powerful main gun; the Arjun matched and outdid the T-90.

Yet, the army refused to order more Arjuns, beyond the 124 already in service. At a meeting of the MoD-led Arjun Steering Committee in 2010, the army demanded 72 capability enhancements to improve the Arjun Mark 1into what would be called the Arjun Mark 2.

Incredibly, given the army’s complaint that the Arjun Mark 1 was too heavy, these 72 enhancements would make it 6 tonnes heavier.

These included the fitment of mine ploughs (1.6 tonnes extra), explosive reactive armour (1.5 tonnes extra), suspension improvements (one tonne extra) and two more tonnes in other areas. The 62.5 tonne Arjun Mark 1 was to be translated into a 68.5 tonne Mark 2.

In June 2012, the DRDO offered the Arjun for trials with all the enhancements, except one: a cannon-launched guided missile (CLGM) that the army wanted to fire through the Arjun’s main gun. The Israeli Lahat CLGM that equipped the Arjun could strike targets two-to-five km away. However, the army insisted that the CLGM must strike targets as close as 1.2 km, even though the Arjun’s powerful main gun was adequate to destroy such targets.

By 2015, a series of trials had validated the improvements the army demanded. However, the army dilly-dallied for three years, until March 2018, when it was agreed that the next batch of Arjuns, which would be supplied without missile firing capability. They would be designated Arjun Mark 1A.

After several months of delay, Arjun Mark 1A trials were held in December 2018 and the tank found fit in all respects. The army’s trial team recommended the Arjun Mark 1A be inducted into service. Yet, it has taken almost three more years for an order to be placed.

From the time the indent is placed, it would still take HVF 36 months to start delivering the first Arjun tanks. Since the DRDO is confident it would develop and prove the CLGM by then, the 118 Arjun Mark 1A tanks ordered today will actually be delivered as Arjun Mark 2, with full CLGM capability.

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Out of 1,512 Mine plough, BEML will supply 100 Nos within 12 months, 250 Nos in subsequent years and order will be completed within 7 years. The Indian Army currently has around 1,640 T-90 tanks in its service fleet.

These mine ploughs will be fitted on T-90 tanks which will facilitate individual mobility to Tanks while negotiating mine fields. Mobility of the Tank Fleet will enhance manifold, which in turn would extend the reach of armoured formations deep into enemy territory without becoming mine causality.

This de-mining equipment is time tested for different soil conditions in Indian desert and customized for Indian operations. In terms of its in-depth specification, these ploughs are composed of self-contained units that will be connected to the vehicle mounting arrangement and the electrical power system of the tank.

As a previous supplier, Pearson Engineering has experience in integrating counter-mine capabilities with the T-72, T-90, Arjun Mk1 Main Battle Tank and BMP-2 Armoured Vehicles.

These TWMPs are the most effective and lethal in terms of their technical structure and strength. It has been guaranteed that after induction of these TWMPs, they would be tested under various soil conditions to prove their customization and suitability in times of real operations.

Currently, dedicated TWMPs are integrated with the Arjun Mk-1A MBTs of the Indian Army. The TWMPs in Arjun are designed as a matter of the compact stows with maximized approach angles that would help in impeding the operations of the gun turrets when it will be depressing. It gives the Arjun Tank the capability to drive through a rapid surface passage containing mined obstacles by creating a track for the other tanks to follow. These ploughs would help in clearing all IED and minefields, thereby leading to their detonation reducing their tractive efforts. It will also help in terms of maintaining the depth control by skids in the ground in undulating terrains by helping it to operate at wide soil conditions and ranges. The TWMPs of the Arjun tanks are also fully integrated with MSD systems that are available to counter magnetically fused mines in times of being replaceable with a low maintenance cost.

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The Indian Army has been diversifying its small arms inventory, as part of an attempt to phase out its aging assault rifles and light machine guns. The Indian domestically-produced Small Arms System (INSAS) has been in use since 1998.

AK-203 7.62x39mm Assault Rifle

Russia’s state arms seller Rosoboron-export, which is part of the state tech corporation Rostec, has prepared a contract for signing with India on the delivery of the latest 7.62x39mm AK-203 assault rifles. Compared to the baseline AK-203 version, the variant being produced for India has a fixed side-folding stock, but is otherwise similar in design to the version being employed by the Russian military.

The assault rifle weighs 3.8 kg empty, and it has a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute and is accurate to a range of 800 meters. The AK-203 assault rifle designed for the Indian Amy features a 415mm barrel and it is equipped with a Picatinny rail, which can be used with a variety of sights or scopes as well as flashlight and other equipment.

New Carbine

The Indian Army has issued a fresh Request for Information (RFI) for a fast-track procurement of 93,895 carbines. This comes five months after the defence ministry revoked the case for procuring a similar number of carbines under the Fast-Track Procedure (FTP).

The RFIs were issued on 10 February to multiple Indian and global manufacturers, including Caracal, Colt, SiG Sauer, Beretta, Thales and Adani Defence. In 2018, UAE gun maker Caracal’s CAR 816 carbine had emerged as the lowest bidder in the FTP initiated by the Indian Army for a new compact weapon to replace its World War 2 vintage 9 mm 1A1 ‘Sterling’ carbine. As before, the army wants the new carbine chambered for the 5.56×45 mm cartridge. At just a single page, the army’s new RFI is far simpler compared to its three-page RFI in 2018. The service aims to procure the weapons within a year of the contract signing.

The size of this deal is not yet known, but if one were to make estimation from Caracal’s 2018 bid, then it would likely be upwards of $110 million (over Rs 800 crore).

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, who heads the Defence Procurement Board (DPB), finally pulled the plug on the acquisition last September. The earlier deal was questioned by senior defence ministry officials on two grounds.

•             The carbines were costlier than the US-made SiG 716 assault rifles also imported under the FTP last year for over Rs 700 crore; and.

•             The defence ministry officials noted that no part of the weapon was being manufactured indigenously.

Last September, Caracal had offered to manufacture all the rifles in-country as part of the government’s Make in India initiative. The UAE government-owned arms maker said it would also oversee technology transfer.

Top army officials had also explored options for purchasing a smaller quantity of around 25,000 carbines from the UAE manufacturer, but this idea seems to have been abandoned in favour of a fresh contract.

M4 Armoured Vehicles

On 23 February 2021, an emergency order was placed by the Indian Army for the procurement of M4 armoured vehicles. These vehicles have undergone intensive tests in Ladakh during the standoff with China in 2020. These vehicles are going to be purchased from Pune-based private sector company Bharat Forge of the Kalyani group.

A company statement said, on 23 February, that “an order worth Rs 177.95 crore has been received from the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the supply of Kalyani M4 vehicles”.

Such wheeled armoured vehicles are required for transporting troops and have the capability of being operated in high altitudes.

These armoured vehicles which have undergone intensive trials in high altitudes along with other competitors come with certain extra features as compared to the regular vehicles.

It is a multi-role platform, and has the capability of quick mobility in rough terrain and those areas which are affected by IED and mine threats.

According to the company, this vehicle has ballistic and blast protection from up to 50 kg TNT side blast, or IED or roadside bombs, all because of the design. It is built on a flat-floor monocoque hull and has a thrust speed of 140 km per hour. With a payload of 2.3 tonnes, it can operate in a range of about 800 km.

The original product is from South African Paramount Group, whose M4 has been modified as per the Indian conditions and requirements of the end user by Bharat Forge.

Futuristic Communication System

With the increasing dominance of the electronic spectrum, cyber warfare and artificial intelligence, the Army has laid the groundwork to introduce a futuristic communication system for providing secure and seamless inter-connectivity between its war-fighting elements and also enhance situational awareness.

“The Indian Army is planning a long-term evolution (LTE)-based communication grid with Internet of Military Things (IoMT) sensor network for providing failsafe, robust and secure communication to its formations and units along the northern and eastern borders,” a RFI states.

This will require designing and developing, with industry support, a communication grid with its radio access network, core network and IoMT compatible network along with sensors and interfaces to provide surveillance, situational awareness, sensor network and compatible interfaces for legacy surveillance devices currently in the Army’s inventory.

LTE is a standard for wireless broadband communication for mobile devices that increases the capacity and speed of data transfer and provides several add-on facilities. IoMT is a type of Internet of Things designed for combat operations and warfare based upon smart technology and artificial intelligence.

The network would facilitate a state of the art mobile communication and sensor network for troops operating in a counter-insurgency environment, rugged mountains and jungles overlooking the Line of Control and international borders through the use of handheld communication devices and e-tabs.

The project envisions high grade and reliable mobile communication with a layer of security for voice, data and video communication to make the traffic secure and make the network free from the possibility of intrusion and interception, prevent unauthorized access.

The proposed LTE-based communication grid with IoMT sensor network will also be capable of interoperability with existing mobile communication network and would be integrated into the armed forces’ current and futuristic communication infrastructure and networks.

It will also have an IoMT sensor network, seismic, pressure and ultrasonic ground sensors autonomous UAVs and drones, information nodes, helmet-mounted cameras and interfaces for current surveillance equipment as well as an ecosystem for controlling and monitoring the sensor data from all IoMT devices.

Only Indian vendors and those who tie-ups with foreign original equipment manufacturers having their registered offices along with operations, maintenance and repair infrastructure in India would be allowed to participate in the project.

Army Has Alternative to WhatsApp

From April 1, the Indian Army is likely to start using SAI (Secure Application for Internet), a messaging platform, for internal communications, Army chief General M.M. Naravane said on 24 February.

He said the application, developed by Colonel Sai Shankar, was undergoing the process of getting cyber and security clearance and data testing.

The application supports end-to-end secure voice, text and video-calling services for Android platforms over the internet – equivalent of WhatsApp.

The application supports end-to-end secure voice, text and video-calling services for Android platforms over the internet.

The model is similar to commercially available messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, SAMVAD and GIMS, and utilises the end-to-end encryption messaging protocol. SAI scores over these platforms in terms of security features with local in-house servers and coding, which can be tweaked as per requirements.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 13 February, handed over the indigenous main battle tank (MBT) Arjun Mk-1A, to the Army at Chennai.

 “We will continue working to make our armed forces one of the most modern forces in the world. At the same time, the focus on making India Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) in the defence sector moves with full speed,” the Prime Minister said at the event.

The state-of-the-art main battle tank has been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), a unit of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), along with 15 academic institutions, eight labs and several micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME).

With modern battle tank technologies, Arjun MBT Mk-1A is distinct from the contemporary MBT and is a dependable war-fighting machine. It is a weapon platform with superior firepower, high mobility, excellent protection and crew comfort with 14 major upgrades on Arjun MBT Mk-1, according to the CVRDE.

About the Arjun MBT

The Arjun MBT project was initiated by DRDO in 1972 with the CVRDE as its lead laboratory. The objective was to create a “state-of-the-art tank with superior fire power, high mobility, and excellent protection.” During the development, the CVRDE achieved breakthroughs in the engine, transmission, hydropneumatic suspension, hull and turret as well as the gun control system. Mass production began in 1996 at the Indian Ordnance Factory’s production facility in Avadi, Tamil Nadu.

The Indian Army received the first batch of 16 tanks in 2004 and they were inducted as a squadron of the 43 Armoured Regiment. In 2009, the first Arjun regiment of the Indian Army had 45 tanks. By 2011, over 100 tanks had been delivered. In 2010, the Indian army ordered another 124 Arjuns. The Ministry of Defence ordered another 118 units of the Arjun Mk-1A. These are the units being inducted now at a revised cost of over Rs 8,400 crore.

Main Features

The Arjun tanks stand out for their 120-mm calibre rifled gun. It also has a computer-controlled integrated fire control system with stabilised sighting that works in all lighting conditions. The secondary weapons include a co-axial 7.62-mm machine gun for anti-personnel and a 12.7-mm machine gun for anti-aircraft and ground targets.

The Mk-1A version has 14 major upgrades on the earlier version. It is also supposed to have missile firing capability as per the design, but this feature will be added later as final testing of the capability is still on. However, the biggest achievement with the latest version is 54.3 per cent indigenous content against the 41 per cent in the earlier model.

Initial Reluctance

Before operating Arjun, for a long time, the Indian Army operated Russian tanks with the Russian design philosophy of three-man crew with an auto-loader. Indian tank crews, tank commanders and the armoured corps made its strategies and tactics keeping the Russian tanks in mind also addressing the shortcomings of the autoloader. Implementing them on Heavy tanks based on western design would be quite challenging. This was the most significant reason behind the army’s reluctance.

Inducting such heavy tanks like Arjun will create logistic problems but this is not something which should prevent the army from buying these in large numbers. The army just needs to invest in carriages capable of carrying heavier loads.

Arjun is very well suited for the Western borders. It can outperform any other tank in that terrain. But now after the Ladakh standoff Army’s primary focus has shifted to China. The lighter tanks like the T-90 give a broader spectrum for deployment.

India is one of the largest operators of the Russian T-90. Thus, there are import lobbyists inside Indian committees which decide which tank to procure.

Technically speaking, the Army has no reason to be unhappy with the Arjun tank, as its senior officers had given the clearance more than a year ago after the MBT had undergone numerous trials. The tank comes with with 14 major improvements that the Army had sought.

Compared to its earlier version Arjun Mk 1, the Mark 1A boasts an improved gunner sight (a 120mm main gun), fitted with automated target tracking capabilities. This allows the tank’s crew to locate and track mobile targets automatically, enabling attack even when the MBT is moving.

It also incorporates day-and-night stabilized sights. Besides, it is integrated with thermobaric and penetration-cum-blast ammunition, in addition to the conventional fin-stabilized armor-piercing discarding sabot and high explosive squash head ammunition.

Arjun Mark 1A can run at a maximum road speed of 58 km/h and 40 km/h in cross country with a maximum cruising range of 500 km. It can negotiate a gradient of 30% and a vertical step of 910 mm. It can cross natural or man-made trenches 2,430 mm wide. The tank can cross a water obstacle of 1.4 m depth without preparation and 2.15 m with a kit.

At the same time, it is being said that this would be the last of the 68-ton Arjun series. The Army has placed a Rs 20,000 crore order for the manufacture of 464 T-90MS standard tanks to add to the 1,191 Bhishma tanks already inducted.

Not-so-rosy History

The Arjun has seen numerous changes in design and been over-budget with long delays. It was planned in 1972 and the DRDO started the work on it in 1974. It was to be a 40-ton vehicle, small enough to be strategically mobile and capable of being shuttled on internal lines (roads and railroads) to the borders.

But when in 2009, 35 years after it was originally conceived, Arjun was “ready” for production, its weight turned out to be 62 tons. It had other shortcomings too, which the Army did point out.

And yet, the Army was persuaded (pressured?) to buy 124 of them, with the last batch being procured in 2013. However, by mid-2015, two years after the purchase was complete, nearly 75 percent of the Arjun force was inoperable due to technical problems.

A 2016 report from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) noted that most of the tanks had not been in operation since 2013 due to a lack of spare parts. And the DRDO, in 2017, informed that it had imported spare parts to repair any faults that had sidelined 75 per cent of the Arjun tanks

Side by side, all these years (after 2010), the DRDO declared that it would work for Arjun 2 where many shortcomings of the Arjun 1 would be rectified with additional features. In 2014, the Union Cabinet decided to procure 118 of these, but the proposal was formally cleared by the DAC (Defence Acquisition Council) only in 2018, with Arjun 2 being rechristened now as Arjun Mark 1A.

But the Army said that even this version did not meet all its requirements like the ability to fire a missile from its main gun and battlefield management system. Besides, the Army, which had found problems with the 62-ton weight of version 1, had to cope with the 68-ton weight with the latest version of 1A.  It was only in 2020 that the Army gave its final “clearance”.

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The event was attended by officers from HQ Integrated Defence Staff, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, scientists from DRDO and representatives from industry.

To counter the operational challenge of intrusions by the enemy drones / quadcopters on the western borders for dropping arms and ammunition or surveillance, the Army’s Northern Command has developed quadcopter jammers, which have the capability to defeat all types of quadcopters coming from across the borders.

The innovations were based on niche technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the performance of the in-service Battle Field Surveillance Radars (BFSR), long range observation systems (LORROS), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

 Innovations like 9x19mm pistol ‘ASMI’, India’s first universal (both for men & women soldiers) lightweight Bullet Proof Jacket ‘SHAKTI’, Bullet Proof Helmet ‘Abhedya’, Wall Penetration Radar ‘Argos’ and Anti-Mine Boot ‘Padam Kavach’, developed by the Indian Army innovators were also showcased.

Other innovations like unmanned ground vehicles for remote explosion of IEDs (XPLODER), identification and marking of minefields and ‘Bullet Proof Bamboo Concrete Panel’ will further increase the protection of troops in operational areas.

Gen Naravane felicitated the innovators and expressed his satisfaction over the efforts being undertaken towards capacity enhancement through indigenization and exhorted the vast pool of talent with the Indian Army to come forward with innovative solutions and contribute towards ANB in defence. The COAS later unveiled the ‘Compendium of Innovations -2021’.

All-in-One Quadcopter Jammer System

An All-in-One Quadcopter Jammer System has been developed  by one of the Electronics & Mechanical Engineers’ unit deployed in the Kashmir valley to counter quadcopters being used for anti-national activities.

The jammer system can effectively counter any type of quadcopters at a range of approximately 800 meters.  Indian Army is planning to deploy such systems on the international border/ Line of Control/ Line of Actual Control and in hinterland to counter enemy quadcopters.

Sapper Scout

An Indian Army Captain from the College of Military Engineering, Pune has developed an Unmanned Ground Vehicle for mine detection and improvised explosive device (IED) disposal called “Sapper Scout” to avoid casualties and aid the troops in operations. The Army has suffered many casualties due to landmines over the years. The oficer conceived and developed the Sapper Scout to detect and mark the mines enabling the troops to safely evade minefields.

Xploder

In a major boost to protect troops from IEDs, the officer has also developed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) called “Xploder”.  The ROV is backpack sized and light in weight for easy carriage by soldiers during operations. It aids the troops during room intervention operations, flushing of hideouts and remote disposal of IEDs. The wireless electronic detonation circuit (WEDC) developed by the officer will be used to remotely trigger and destroy suspected targets including IEDs from longer ranges.

Indoor Surveillance Microcopter

The Simulator Development Division (SDD) has developed a  manportable microdrone, which has the capability to fly inside buildings in GPS denied environment for indoor surveillance, thereby giving precise location of terrorist hideouts, which enables their neutralization with minimum collateral damage. The small dimension of the drone enables its entry inside a building through windows, ventilators or doors.

The microcopter has state-of-the-art capability for obstacle avoidance in indoor environment and can provide live video feed to the operator. It can operate in low light conditions and is highly stable in GPS denied environment. With 20 minutes endurance and 100 metres range, it can be used for close recconaissance around target buildings for planning operations.This innovation can be extensively utilised by the armed forces in counter-insurgency/ counter-terrorist operations.

9 mm Machine Pistol ASMI

India’s first  indigenous 9mm machine pistol “ASMI” has been developed by Lt Col Prasad Bansod from Infantry School, Mhow with assistance from  ARDE, Pune in a record time of four months. The weapon fires the in-service 9 mm ammunition.

“ASMI” which is an acronym for Pride, Self Respect and Hard Work, sports an upper receiver made from aircraft-grade Aluminium and lower receiver from carbon fibre, manufactured by 3D printing process including trigger components made by metal 3D printing. It features a 8-inch barrel and 33 rounds high capacity magazine with an overall empty weight of under 2 kgs.

 The weapon has a huge potential in the Armed Forces as personal weapon for heavy weapon detachments, commanders, tank and aircraft crews, drivers/ dispatch riders, radio/ radar operators, CQB, CI/ CT operations, VIP protection duties and policing.

ASMI is likely to  find huge employability within the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and state police services and potential for exports with likely production cost of under Rs 50,000 per weapon.

Innovations by Maj Anoop Mishra

Shakti Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ). India’s first universal BPJ for both men and women soldiers with 100 per cent indigenous content is claimed to be the only second body armour in the world which fits men and women both. First of its kind semi-flexible variegated armour protection, it takes the contours of the body and fits any body type. It comes in two variants – Level IV protection capable of stopping a sniper bullet from a distance of 10 metres and weighs just 6.2 kgs. Level III+ (Special Forces variant) capable of stopping an AK-47 round from a distance of 10 metres and weighs just 4.2 kgs. The cost of the BPJ is half of the current body armour with same level of protection.               

Abhedya Ballistic Helmet. This is India’s first 100 per cent indigenous ballistic helmet capable of stopping a rifle round from a distance of 10 metres. The helmet comes in two variants – Level III which is capable of stopping an AK-47 MSC round and Level III+ for AK-47 HSC armour piercing round. Advance Gel technology brings down trauma to zero mm. Helmet can be worn in all types of weather conditions and it comes with boltless design and Mil standard four-point strap. Cost of Level III helmet is one-fourth the cost of helmets in the international market. There is no Level III+ helmet as of now in the world which makes Abhedya a pioneer in rifle protection ballistic helmet technology.

PadamKawach Anti-Mine Boot. India’s first non-metallic and non-ceramic Boot Anti Mine. The current boot anti-mine causes fragmentation and splinter effect when it comes under mine blast seriously injuring the wearer as well as fellow soldiers as they have heavy metal or hard ceramic content. This is a critical technology developed in India, wherein ballistic rubber has been developed to mitigate mine blast and it behaves like normal DMS shoes. PadamKawach is waterproof and fire resistant. PadamKawach Mk III is the only Boot Anti-Mine in the world capable of mitigating a blast of a mine with 70 gms explosive. All PadamKawach series of anti-mine boots have been tested in international labs and passed all international standards.

ARGOS – Wall Penetration Radar (WPR). Named after a mythical creature with thousand eyes in Greek mythology, capable of seeing through anything and everything, the Argos wall penetrating radar is not only the world’s best wall-penetrating radar but is the lightest and can be worn by the soldier on body armour or helmet. Soldiers can see through RCC wall from a standoff distance of five metres and are not required to close in to the wall. It is weather proof and can penetrate through dense forest and identify multiple targets for upto 70 metres. It can detect human heart beats under rubble or under snow down to six feet, hence it is ideal for search and rescue operations. It can detect tunnels or hideouts underground from a standoff distance.

The Argos will change the counter-insurgency operations dynamics in the Kashmir Valley and the North-East. The cost of the equipment is 1/10th of any WPR sold worldwide or currently deployed with the Army or disaster management agencies.

DYNAM Rope. Currently steel wire ropes (SWR) are used in recovery vehicles. These ropes require lot of maintenance. They are heavy and may snap violently on overloading. DYNAM rope was develop to overcome these drawbacks. It is 80 per cent lighter, requires zero maintenance and with the same thickness of SWR it can lift 10 times the load. It comes with snap protection. It can be deployed for recovery vehicles, tanks or even ship anchorage saving weight and increasing efficiency of the equipment. There are just a handful of countries which have mastered this technology. It has immense application in civil arena. Virtually it can replace all steel wire rope from every sector.

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