Small Armaments & Infantry Equipment - News & Discussion

[Manish_P]

Bengaluru-based SSS Defence wants to make everything, from pistols to sub-machine guns and sniper rifles, in India
https://www.theweek.in/theweek/specials ... rifle.html
07 Sept 2025

May they get lots and lots of export orders

[Rakesh]

May they get lots and lots of export orders

[Manish_P]

^ Was not being snarky, sir.

IMHO It is essential that the company survives and thrives and also inspires others to get into the field of arms manufacturing.

In the future our overlords might just become wise enough or benevolent enough to give them large local orders to turn
them into what Glock is to Austria.

[uddu]

https://x.com/sneheshphilip/status/1964919496462004518
@sneheshphilip
Good news

@sssdefence
gets additional order from friendly nation for sniper rifles

Also a USD 30 million worth ammunition order from the same

Indian companies are establishing itself in the global arena

[Manish_P]

^ A repeat order speaks well for both the quality and the pricing of their product.

[Manish_P]

Icomm-Caracal to supply 200 CSR 338 sniper rifles for CRPF

Abu Dhabi-based Caracal, a designer and manufacturer of high-performance small arms, in collaboration with Icomm Tele Ltd, a group company of Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), has been awarded a contract to supply 200 CSR 338 sniper rifles to India's Central Reserve Police Force.

Caracal is an EDGE group company.

Inaugurated in April this year, the facility serves as a local manufacturing hub producing a comprehensive portfolio of advanced weapons to meet the critical requirements of the Indian Armed Forces, the Central Armed Police Forces, and to cater to Caracal's global export requirements.

Hamad Alameri, CEO of Caracal, said: "Following the launch of the Icomm Caracal Small Arms Complex, we are advancing our partnership with Icomm and solidifying our commitment to Prime Minister Modi's Make in India initiative.

[uddu]

https://x.com/mountain_rats/status/1976458384288440760
@mountain_rats
SSS Defence has been manufacturing weapons and ammunition in India. You have fired quite a few weapons manufactured by them. Why is it that they still haven’t been able to get big contacts from the Indian forces?

I have heard great things about SSS weapons from many CO’s of SF units (can’t name the unit/CO for obvious reasons) but when the weapons were sent by SSS for trials/feedback all of them were super impressed!

https://x.com/Hashpipe821/status/1933390157811781876
@Hashpipe821
I visited @sssdefence @Viv_Krishnan yesterday and saw how they are quietly revolutionizing India’s small arms ecosystem and it’s about time the world took notice.

With a state-of-the-art facility built to global standards, SSS Defence brings unmatched professionalism to the manufacturing, testing, and production of modern firearms. Every weapon system is engineered with precision, rigorously tested, and fine-tuned to deliver superior performance under real combat conditions.

This is Make in India done right.
This is Atmanirbhar Bharat in action.
This is the future of Indian firepower.

[Manish_P]

https://x.com/mountain_rats/status/1976458384288440760
@mountain_rats
SSS Defence has been manufacturing weapons and ammunition in India. You have fired quite a few weapons manufactured by them. Why is it that they still haven’t been able to get big contacts from the Indian forces?

I have heard great things about SSS weapons from many CO’s of SF units (can’t name the unit/CO for obvious reasons) but when the weapons were sent by SSS for trials/feedback all of them were super impressed!
....

One reason could be large contracts tenders usually have a criteria that the applicant company show a high turnover/revenue. And also show 'n' number of successful deliveries to other government organisations.

Have experienced it personally in my (non-defense related) work applying to tenders by sarkaari departments

[sanjayc]

^^ OFB has been making crap weapons since Independence, which turned India into one of biggest arms importers in the world. Enter SSS Defence. In five years they managed to make world-class weapons and started exporting guns. Was it so easy? Imagine what would have happened if that Nehru juvenile idiot had allowed private enterprise in defence since Day 1. Our weapons and aircraft would have been dominating the world by now. Nothing gives you more heft on international stage than the ability to tilt the balance of power in any part of the world by supplying world-class weapons.

[A Sharma]

Sharper eyes for soldiers: Indian Army to get high-tech night vision gear for assault rifles

[SRajesh]

^^ Ah yes
Look at the full Saga
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/indian- ... n%20Making
The incompetency of Babboos and the General Saabs in full glory!!
Why did we order Sig's without night sight??
And they Jammed as well but no hue and cry like the Insas!!
And if the article is to be belived now the baboos and the General Saab's have full PhD in advanced metallurgy!
Why is SSD not being promoted and local made 'Bandooks' bought
If the OFB made one are as good as 'Katta' why the hell are they still making it!!

[ashthor]

^^ Ah yes
Look at the full Saga
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/indian- ... n%20Making

from the above article

The army’s handling of the T-90 tank purchase in the late 1990s followed a similar pattern, with an insistence on importing the tank, a willingness to compromise on capability, and a disregard for logic and long-term planning.

At the time, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda had opposed the deal, arguing that India could simply upgrade its existing fleet of T-72 tanks with modern fire-control systems and night-fighting gear at a fraction of the cost.

His objection was not entirely misplaced. Even the Russian Army had shown little enthusiasm for the T-90, preferring to improve its older tanks instead.

However, the army and the Ministry of Defence were determined to push the deal through. To neutralise Gowda’s resistance, they struck an understanding with Rosvoorouzhenie, Russia’s arms export agency. The plan was simple and cynical. The T-90 would be priced only marginally higher than the T-72 by stripping away several key systems, which India would then purchase later through separate contracts once the tank was in service.

Among the features removed was the Shtora active protection system, designed to intercept incoming anti-tank missiles. That this was omitted despite Pakistan’s missile-heavy anti-tank defences reflected poorly on the logic of India’s procurement. Short-term convenience trumped battlefield sense.

In 2019, the army contracted for 72,000 SIG716 rifles from USA’s Sig Sauer as a stop-gap measure to equip frontline troops, with the option of adding another 72,000.

The rifles had been imported without the sights. Various operational glitches, including jamming, also surfaced after the rifle was issued to troops. For a while, it seemed the army had decided against placing a repeat order. However, in 2024, the situation changed with an order for over 70,000 more SIG716 rifles.

[Prem Kumar]

^ In spite of SIGs failing to live up to their hype (jamming), a subsequent order of 70K rifles was placed. Wonder how many green cards were minted in the bargain!

[uddu]

https://x.com/sriramthg/status/1981380548909269180
@sriramthg
ANI article clears my misunderstanding. ARDE carbine will be made by both L1 & L2. So that is a solid win.

Indian Army signs Rs 2,700 crore deal for 4.25 lakh close-quarter carbines
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/ge ... 022221525/

[ramana]

^^ Ah yes
Look at the full Saga
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/indian- ... n%20Making

from the above article

In 2019, the army contracted for 72,000 SIG716 rifles from USA’s Sig Sauer as a stop-gap measure to equip frontline troops, with the option of adding another 72,000.

The rifles had been imported without the sights. Various operational glitches, including jamming, also surfaced after the rifle was issued to troops. For a while, it seemed the army had decided against placing a repeat order. However, in 2024, the situation changed with an order for over 70,000 more SIG716 rifles.

The understanding was the sights would be procured locally and that would keep the cots low and support local industry. As for the fouling the understanding was that rifles would be cleaned consistently by the troops as the OFB cartridge composition leaves residue. This was not done by the field formations.
Any hit on Sig Sauer is a scurrilous blow on late Gen Rawat who ensured the rifle decision is taken care of. These folks wish they could import the sights and the ammo!

Yes 72K rifles were further imported as follow-on to the first order. Total two tranches and most likely will be another tranche after measures are in place.
Please don't take every report as gospel. Reporters don't know how to verify facts and print stuff for access.

[Tanaji]

Ramanaji, isn't the whole purpose of tests to precisely identify these types of issues? The use case of OFB ammo is hopefully not a revelation to the powers that be that do such tests. So why wasnt the issue of residue not picked up earlier? OFB ammo is not exactly a rare commodity?
In any contract this would have been the first line item for compliance, in fact the vendor should have been sent sample ammo to ensure full disclosure before they sign up.

Clearly someone dropped the ball either by omission or commission.

[VinodTK]

Ramanaji, isn't the whole purpose of tests to precisely identify these types of issues? The use case of OFB ammo is hopefully not a revelation to the powers that be that do such tests. So why wasnt the issue of residue not picked up earlier? OFB ammo is not exactly a rare commodity?
In any contract this would have been the first line item for compliance, in fact the vendor should have been sent sample ammo to ensure full disclosure before they sign up.

Clearly someone dropped the ball either by omission or commission.

Ramana je is right regular cleaning is required after use, based on my personal experience with SIG
I have used Sig and non Sig amo same amount of cleaning is required (manufacturer recommend cleaning process should be followed
or user developed protocols for cleaning should be implemented based on use, climate, and environmental factors)

[Tanaji]

Saar, all guns require regular cleaning and this is basic skills taught to every soldier and infantryman. The vendor no doubt will recommend a schedule based on rounds fired which the quartermasters and NCOs make sure gets implemented. Ramanaji is saying the OFB ammo results in more residue that requires a change to the schedule and more frequent cleaning.

The question then becomes:
Why wasn’t this obvious in evaluation and testing stage as OFB ammo use is not a surprise. Why did army agree to this extra concession and effort for SIG?
If they agreed to this concession why wasn’t this communicated to field formations that were issued with the guns?