In a Request for Information (RFI) published on 28 June, the Army said that around 4,800 .338 sniper rifles with telescopic sight will be procured under the “Buy Indian” category along with 78 lakh rounds of ammunition.

As per defence sources, around 4,500 sniper rifles will go to the Army, over 200 to the Indian Air Force and the rest to the Navy.

As per the RFI, the new sniper rifles will use the .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition and will have a range of 1,200 metres or more.

They should have a service life of minimum 10 years or 5,000 rounds and the ammunition should also have a shelf life of 10 years.

The RFI states that the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the procurement would be tentatively issued by September this year.

The recent RFI marks the latest attempt of the defence forces to buy the long-range weapon.

Amid increased threats of sniper attacks, particularly at the Line of Control, and to gain a tactical advantage over the enemy from a distance, the Army has been trying to get new advanced sniper rifles for the past five years to replace the ageing Soviet-era 1963 vintage Dragunov sniper rifle, which is in use with the Army since the 1990s.

In 2018, the Defence Acquisition Council headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh had cleared the purchase of 5,700 high-precision sniper rifles at an estimated cost of Rs 982 crore under the “Buy Global” categorisation. The defence ministry had then said their ammunition will be subsequently manufactured in India.

A RFP for the purchase of 5,700 sniper rifles floated subsequently was scrapped in June 2019 due to lack of enough responses from firms, who could manufacture their ammunition as well, and after the technical evaluation committee declared the vendors as non-compliant.

Fuelled by increasing threats of sniper attacks at the Line of Control (LoC), the Northern Command in 2019 — using the Commander’s special financial powers — procured two new sniper rifles in limited quantities.

This included the Barrett M95 .50 BMG from the United States and Beretta Victrix Scorpio TGT from Italy, with .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges.

Subsequently, the Army also made an emergency procurement of limited quantity of the Finnish Sako .338 TRG-42 sniper rifles last year. The rifles have already been inducted by the snipers at the LoC.

While the latest RFI seems like a cutting down of the initial requirement of 5,700 sniper rifles to 4,800, defence sources said that a revision of the requirement was carried out after specific quantities of various advanced sniper rifles were bought under emergency routes and by way of using special powers.

“The requirements were revised after some other advanced sniper rifles were inducted in the interim period. As the troops have been using .338 Sako sniper rifles, the latest RFI decided to go with the same requirement,” a source said.

The source added that the range of the Dragunov sniper rifles, which uses a 7.62×54 mm rimmed cartridge, is 600-800 metres. “The new sniper rifles will have a range over a kilometre,” the source added.

Sources said the requirement of the sniper rifle also stemmed from an increased requirement of high-precision long range weapons, especially for counter-insurgency and counter-terror operations.

“The weapons can deliver a lethal blow on the enemy by surprising him, while letting the sniper remain anonymous and also without escalating tensions,” the source quoted above said.

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Most of the special forces across the world use .338 Sako TRG 42 sniping rifle and Indian Army has procured it.

“The latest sniper rifles have been inducted into the army. They are using it now,” an official told PTI.

The official further said that the Sako .338 TRG-42 sniper rifles have a better range, firepower, and telescopic sights than those possessed by the adversary.

Amid a change in operational dynamics along the LoC, the move is to make the snipers more lethal, the report added.

The Sako rifles have reportedly replaced the .338 Lapua Magnum Scorpio TGT by Beretta, and the .50 Calibre M95 by Barrett, which were inducted in the Indian army in 2019 and 2020.

These rifles – made in Italy and America – had replaced the ageing Russian Dragunov, the mainstay of Indian troops.

First procured in the 1990s, the Dragunovs have slowly fallen behind contemporary sniper rifles which offer improved sights and mounts, increased accuracy, and a strike range of over 1 kilometre.

The Sako TRG-42 sniper rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle designed and developed by the Finnish gun maker SAKO.

The rifle is designed to fire powerful .338 Lapua Magnum-sized cartridges. and weighs at 6.55 kgs without ammunition. It has an effective range of 1,500 metres, the official said.

The rifle is considered one of the most accurate and trustworthy weapons gobally.

The official added that sniping has been a bigger challenge for the soldiers patrolling forward areas along the LoC and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Between 2018 and 2019, there was a sudden increase in the number of sniping incidents along the LoC and IB prompting armed forces to induct better sniper rifles and train its snipers against such attacks.

The Indian Army has sanctioned a team of 10 snipers, selected from the Army’s units and regimental centres for the job.

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In a historic move for the bloc, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced, on 28 February, that the EU would finance the purchase and delivery of arms to Ukraine totalling €450 million.

Some countries in the bloc would also be sending fighter jets, the EU’s foreign chief Josep Borrell announced.

In another major shift, Germany has broken its long-standing foreign policy of banning all exports of lethal weapons to conflict zones.

Listed alphabetically, here is what donor countries have announced.

* Belgium – 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel, 3,000 additional automatic rifles and 200 anti-tank weapons.

* Canada – helmets, bulletproof vests, anti-tank weapons, ammunition.

* Croatia – €16 million worth of protective gear and light arms

* Czech Republic – 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns, sniper rifles, ammunition.

* Czech Republic – military equipment.

* Denmark – 2,700 anti-tank weapons, volunteer brigade.

* EU – will finance the purchase of arms for €450 mn

* Finland – 2,500 assault rifles, 150,000 rounds of ammunition, 1,500 rocket launchers, 70,000 field rations.

* France – defence equipment and fuel support.

* Germany – 1,000 anti-tank rocket launchers, 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles, nine Howitzers, 14 armoured vehicles and 10,000 tonnes of fuel to Ukraine.

* Italy – military equipment.

* Netherlands – weapons and protective equipment, 200 Stingers

* Norway – helmets, bulletproof vests, 2,000 M72 anti-tank weapons.

* Portugal – bulletproof vests, helmets, night vision goggles, grenades and ammunition.

* Portugal – military equipment.

* Romania – fuel, body armour, helmets, ammunition, military equipment, medical treatment.

* Slovenia  – rifles, ammunition and helmets.

* Sweden – anti-tank weapons

* USA – €350 million military aid package (adds up to €1 billion over last one year).

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The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), on 28 September, approved the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore including around 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the United States.

Besides clearing the proposal to buy the rifles, the other notable acquisitions approved by the DAC include procurement of smart anti- airfield weapon (SAAW) systems for the Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF) for Rs 970 crore, Static HF Tans-receiver sets for seamless communication for the field units of the Army and the Air Force at a cost of Rs 540 crore. These two items are being procured under the ‘Buy Indian (IDDM)‘ category of the Defence Procurement Procedure 2016. IDDM stands for Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured, a procurement category to encourage purchases from domestic vendors.

The government was fast-tracking procurement of 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles at a time Indian Army is locked in a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh. India and China have been militarily facing off in the over 1,000-km Line of Actual Control in Ladakh region since May this year and there are no signs of a thaw in the confrontation between their armies. The conflict seems to be moving in the direction of a long haul that could extend into the 2020 winter and beyond, unless a miraculous resolution takes place before that.

The cost of procurement of the Sig Sauer assault rifles for the frontline troops of the Indian Army will be Rs 780 crore ($101 mn). The Army is implementing a mega infantry modernisation programme under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines and assault rifles are being purchased to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons. Priority is being accorded for infantry modernisation as part of the larger process to further enhance combat capability of the Army.

In October, 2017, the Indian Army began the process to acquire around seven lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines. The world’s second largest standing Army has been pushing for fast-tracking the procurement of various weapons systems considering the evolving security challenges along India’s borders with Pakistan and China.

The SIG Sauer SIG716 7.62-mm assault rifles are a replacement for the Indian Small Arms System (or INSAS) 5.56mmX45mm rifles that are the standard personal weapon issued to the Indian armed forces personnel from the four services and is made by the Ordnance Factory Board. The assault rifles purchase is the second tranche of acquisition of this battle-proven weapon. The first tranche of the same number of rifles were bought in the recent years. The decision to buy these assault rifles has been taken after successfully deploying and using them in Kashmir during homeland security and low intensity conflict.

India is also currently pursuing a joint production for Russian-origin AK-203 Kalashnikov rifles at a plant in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

UAE Firm Caracal Selected for Carbines

The fast track procurement of close quarter battle (CQB) carbines to replace the Indian Army’s current 9mm Sterling carbines, with higher bullet velocity and reduced weight compared to the Sterling carbines, is at a tricky juncture. At a meeting held in September, chaired by the defence secretary, it was decided that the plan to import a limited number of carbines to meet immediate requirements would be shelved in favour of a Make in India plan.

However, the high-powered Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) still has to ratify the decision and the army has been of the opinion that a larger order for 350,000 carbines can be processed under the Make in India initiative but the fast track procurement of 93,895 should go ahead due to the urgent nature of the requirement.

Caracal was awarded the CQB Carbine contract in 2018 to supply the Indian Army with the CAR 816, after having undergone a rigorous selection process. The company has agreed to fast track the supply but the contract and formalities were still under discussion.

The UAE government-owned entity, Caracal International, says that is in talks with major Indian defence players to set up manufacturing facilities from which it can source up to 60% of the components needed. It can also make 100% in India in the future if the government-owned intellectual property (IP) is assured to be protected.

The CAR 816 is a center-fire, gas-operated tactical rifle, chambered in 5.56×45 mm NATO. The CAR 816 assault rifle is a tactical weapon designed for the high-end use of law enforcement and military applications.  CAR 816 operates on short-stroke piston system with three settings. It has semi-automatic only and select-fire models and the rifle is available in multiple barrel lengths with full ambidextrous configuration.

OFB Carbine

A carbine produced by the Ordnance Factory Board at its facility in Ishapore has been offered to the armed forces who are now evaluating it for acquisition.

If selected, the OFB carbine will undergo rigorous testing and initially be inducted in limited numbers only by the defence forces.

Dragunov Sniper Rifle Upgrade

The long-awaited upgrade of the legendary Dragunov sniper rifle, commonly known in the armed forces as DSR, could soon be a reality as an Indian private company – SSS Defence – has come out with an upgrade, with night-firing capability and reduced recoil, besides giving it a bipod.

The Northern Command came out with a Request for Proposal for the upgrade of 90 pieces of the nearly three-decade-old rifle. The Army is estimated to have anywhere between 6,000-7,000 pieces.

The DSR has an effective range of around 800 metres. The mission criteria and nature of operations has changed over time. The sniper scopes that can be used in conjunction are limited to a 4x magnification and modern day sniper scopes cannot be mounted at all.

Also, the weapon cannot use stability-imparting accessories like a bipod.

The barrel of a DSR can easily fire up to 7,000 rounds and most have not done more than 3,000 each, thus having potential for upgrade with a long life ahead. The Army will easily take a few years to acquire and induct a more lethal sniper weapon with effective ranges of 1.2 km and above.

Case for SPAD-GMS System Withheld

The acquisition case for Self Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System (SPAD-GMS) – the Indian Army wants five regiments of the guns that can be deployed with forward moving forces and can be quickly relocated on the basis of threat perception – has also been cancelled after South Korean company Hanwa’s K 30 Biho was shortlisted by the Army.

The estimated $ 2.5 billion contract for new air defence systems for the Army has been hanging fire since last year after Russia protested that it had been unfairly disqualified from the competition in which the Korean company was shortlisted.

Both the Russian upgraded Tunguska M1 and Pantsir missile systems failed to qualify for the acquisition of 104 system that are needed by the Army, promoting a formal complaint to the Independent Monitors (IMs) set up within the MoD to monitor acquisition cases.

The IMs recommended that the Russians be given another chance to prove the system. This however, was found to be unfair by the acquisition wing that had pointed out that a re-trial opportunity at this late stage would set a dangerous new precedent and would vitiate the principle of a level playing field.

While the recommendation was to expedite the contract negotiation or move for a retrial at the earliest, the contract has now been scrapped keeping in mind new plans under the Make in India initiative.

The two programmes would come as a welcome surprise for the Indian industry, particularly the private sector, which has developed capabilities over the past few years to manufacture such systems domestically.

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At present, the ITBP is using the Austrian SSG-69 bolt action rifle, a highly accurate and widely used weapon, as its standard sniper platform. The highly regarded Russian Druganov semi-automatic rifle, based upon the AK-47, is also in use. The force’s requirement is a 7.62 x 51 mm bolt action rifles with an effective killing range of 800 meters, and above, and fitted with integrated telescopic sights for daylight as well as low light conditions. These should be able to function effectively in temperatures up to minus 30 degree Celsius.

Of its 56 service battalions, 32 are deployed for border guarding duties along the Himalayan frontier with China, manning 180 border outposts at altitudes ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,750 feet. These units were reinforced during the current stand-off and asked to step up their surveillance and monitoring activities.

Snipers Prefer Bolt-action

Snipers prefer single-shot bolt action rifles over semi-automatic as they are considered to be more accurate and reliable. According to an officer, bolt action rifles are not only lighter and simpler but also have lesser number of moving parts and internal mechanisms than gas-operated semi-automatics. Moreover, snipers do not require a high rate of fire, for which semi-automatic and automatic weapons are designed, as one or two shots are sufficed for a trained marksman to meet his objective.

Snipers are considered to be force multipliers and many armies attach a great deal of importance to the role of snipers in the field.

A single sniper can neutralize a high-value target or pin down a body of enemy troops for a considerable length of time. Much of a sniper’s work involves observation, surveillance and intelligence gathering.

Snipers require a very high degree of training, enormous levels of patience and quick reactions. Every force has a dedicated institute and special courses for snipers.

In the ITBP, this job is entrusted to the Support Weapons Training School co-located with the Support Battalion at Karera in Madhya Pradesh.

Army Replacing Dragunov

Last year, the Army too began inducting Italian Beretta and American Barrett weapons to replace the Druganov in units deployed along the Line of Control. Though the Army, which uses several types of sniper rifles, had a requirement of about 5,700 such weapons, late last year the procurement was reduced by about 70 per cent due to budgetary constraints.

This month, 7.62 mm sniper rifles were among 101 items placed on the import embargo list by the Ministry of Defence.

Source

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