Modi's Looking to Buy the Indian Army 185,000 Deadly Assault Rifles
- Assault rifles, helmets and bullet-proof vests on the list
- Bureaucratic delays reveal ‘dysfunctional’ innovation cycle
Indian Army soldiers participate in a mock display.
Photographer: Sam Panthaky/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
India’s armed forces have embarked on a shopping spree for modern assault rifles, body armor and helmets, providing a potential boost to global arms suppliers.
The 1.3 million-strong military is abandoning its two decade-old Indian made rifles and seeking to outfit its infantry with more up-to-date equipment, scouting for a new model on the global market for 185,000 assault rifles. The Ministry of Defence also needs to buy hundreds of thousands of helmets and tens of thousands of bullet proof vests.