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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