India strengthens Small Arms Manufacturing Ecosystem
The Ministry of Science and Technology, through the Technology Development Board (TDB), has taken a pivotal step toward indigenizing India’s small arms manufacturing capability by extending financial assistance to Hyderabad’s dvipa Defence India Pvt Ltd (erstwhile dvipa Armour Pvt Ltd).
The project, titled “Development and Commercialization of 7.62 mm x 51 mm Assault Rifles,” aims to produce high-performance, indigenous assault rifles in alignment with the Indian Army’s General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQR) https://www.investindia.gov.in/.
TDB’s assistance will play a crucial role in enabling the development, testing, and commercialization of the UGRAM rifle, including the creation of a state-of-the-art in-house manufacturing unit with integrated quality assurance and testing infrastructure https://www.commerce.gov.in/.
For decades, India has depended heavily on imported small arms, resulting in substantial foreign exchange outflows and interoperability challenges across armed forces, thereby complicating training and logistics.
The ageing INSAS rifles, once developed through earlier collaborations, are increasingly viewed as inadequate for modern combat needs https://www.bseindia.com/.
In 2017, the Government initiated a policy shift to replace these with advanced, reliable rifles chambered in 7.62 mm x 51 mm NATO-grade ammunition.
In response to this national need, dvipa Defence, incorporated in October 2018, emerged as a strong domestic player in the defence manufacturing sector https://www.nseindia.com/.
As one of the early license holders for small arms and ammunition production, the company partnered with DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, to develop a fully indigenous assault rifle, UGRAM – Sanskrit for “ferocious.” Demonstrating exceptional execution, five prototypes were developed within 100 days and successfully passed initial testing at ARDE https://sbi.com.in/.
UGRAM: A Modern, Indigenous Combat-Ready Assault Rifle
UGRAM is a modular, ergonomically designed 7.62 mm x 51 mm assault rifle, tailored for counter-insurgency (CI) and counter-terror (CT) operations by armed forces, paramilitary units, and special forces. It incorporates several advanced features:
Indigenous Development:
100% design, material selection, manufacturing, and testing conducted domestically and approved by ARDE, DRDO.
Key Features:
Long-stroke piston mechanism for enhanced reliability.
High-strength steel used in all pressure-bearing parts.
High-grade nylon-based handguard, pistol grip, and buttstock.
Ambidextrous magazine release and ergonomic, side-mounted cocking handle.
Speaking on the occasion, TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak said on 17 April, “TDB’s support to dvipa Defence underscores our commitment to indigenizing critical defence technologies under ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. This project not only strengthens self-reliance but also paves the way for import substitution and future exports through trusted strategic partnerships.” Fiinews.com
