The Indian Army is planning to acquire 70,000 Sig Sauer SIG 716 7.62×51 mm assault rifles from the United States to strengthen the capabilities of soldiers stationed along the borders with China and Pakistan.
The Indian Defence Ministry stated that the acquisition will enable Indian troops to combat terrorism and execute major operations more effectively and that the addition of these assault rifles will be a significant stride in improving the troops’ abilities to safeguard the country’s borders.
According to government officials who briefed India Today, the decision to purchase the SIG 716 assault rifles was made during a recent meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council. This move is expected to significantly enhance the troops’ ability to combat terrorism and carry out major operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian Army had already received the first batch of American Sig Sauer assault rifles two years ago, and soldiers have been effectively using them in all operations since then. A few years ago, the Indian Army decided to switch to a rifle that fires a larger, more powerful rifle cartridge than the Insas’s 5.56x45mm intermediate cartridge. The SIG 716, uses the more potent 7.62x51mm cartridge.
