The recent order of 73,000 SIG Sauer rifles has triggered debate on India’s long quest for a modern rifle. The India-Russia AK-203 joint production under ‘Make in India’ holds the key.
Army has put in fresh order for 73,000 SIG 716 G2 patrol assault or battlefield rifles, chambered for 7.62x51 mm rounds from US firm SIG Sauer, attracting criticism for continued imports.
In February 2019, 72,400 SiG 716 rifles of 7.62 x 51mm calibre were contracted from SIG Sauer Inc, USA, under government's 'Buy (Global) category', through fast track procedure.
The SiG 716 rifles lacked certain add-ons when first handed to soldiers at LoC in Dec 2019. However, minor tweaks to equip it with night sight, better grip & more cost-effective ammunition has made it formidable.
The Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat, or NOPO, was the only force Ali Khamenei trusted.It was founded in 1991 and is more feared than the Revolutionary Guards.
Rating democracies is a tricky business. I am only using the simple metric of who in the Indian subcontinent has had the most peaceful, stable, normal political transitions and continuity.
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