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Bharat Forge has emerged as the lowest bidder for supplying over 4.25 lakh DRDO-developed 5.56×45 mm close-quarter battle (CQB) carbines to the Indian Army, under the ‘Buy (Indian)’ category focused on indigenous defence production.
New Delhi: Kalyani Strategic System’s subsidiary Bharat Forge has emerged as the lowest bidder in the Indian Army tender for procurement of over 4 lakh 5.56×45 mm close-quarter battle (CQB) carbines for operations.
In a post on X, DRDO, which has developed the 5.56×45 mm CQB Carbine, said: “Significantly boosting #atmanirbharta in critical technology, 5.56×45 mm CQB Carbine, designed and developed by Armament Research and Development Establishment ARDE), DRDO selected as L1 in Indian Army Request for Proposal (RFP)”.
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As per the defence ministry’s Acceptance of Necessity issued in 2022 mentioned that the Indian Army required 4,25,213 units of 5.56 x 45mm CQB Carbine, which have to be procured under the category ‘Buy (Indian)'.
‘Buy (Indian)’ category refers to the procurement of products from an Indian vendor meeting one of the two conditions – products that have been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with a minimum of 50 percent Indigenous Content (IC) on cost basis of the total contract value; Or products, which may not have been designed and developed indigenously, having 60 percent IC on cost basis of the total contract value.
The AoN had also mentioned that the effective range of the CQB carbine should “not be less than 200 meters,” and also have a “bayonet of minimum blade length 120-mm” be provided with a suitable cover.
Without the magazine and accessories, the CQB carbine weight should not exceed 3-kg + 10 percent.
Meant for urban, close range contacts and counter terrorism operations, the CQB carbines are modified to be lighter, easy to handle and smaller than a standard rifle, bearing effectiveness and maneuverability.