The indigenous sniper rifle was launched today at the Rifle Factory, Ishapore, near Kolkata. The research and development for the sniper was done at Ishapore itself, since a year.
The biggest advantage of an indigenous sniper is, it will never run short of ammunition and spares.
Kolkata Police has decide to get its own Indian-made sniper rifles that will come at one-third the price and the quality, at par with the best in the world.
"These rifles are a must for urban police, for VIP protection, hostage situations and terror attacks.", said Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner.
In 1998, this Ordnance Board factory had brought out the Insas Rifle, now used across Indian security forces and key at Kargil.
"There is an increasing need for sniper rifles in security forces which prompted us to manufacture this indigenous rifle here", said Ratneswar Varma, General manager, Rifle Factory, Ishapore.
"We have already got orders from Haryana Police, Rajasthan Police and CRPF", he added.
The Ishapore sniper will cost Rs. 2.5 lakh plus tax. It has a caliber of 7.62 mm, weighs 6.7 kg and can kill at 800 metres. German-made Heckler & Koch rifles comes at three times the price and has a longer range. But, it weighs 7.2 kg, a half-kilo difference in weight that makes a critical difference.
Should India focus more on indigenous weaponry?
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