UAE's Caracal makes commitment to produce over 90,000 carbines in India
The UAE's government is said to be pushing for the deal which India's Defence Ministry had decided in principle to scrap so that the weapons could be manufactured domestically
Eyal Boguslavsky
| 27/09/2020
The CAR 816. Photo: Caracal
India's The Print website reported that the UAE's government has reached out to India over a deal under which nearly 94,000 carbines will be manufactured for the Indian Army by Emirati state-owned entity Caracal. Knowledgeable sources were quoted as saying that the matter was raised by the UAE embassy in the Indian capital. The deal has been pending since 2018 because the Defence Ministry had decided in principle to scrap it and produce the weapons under the "Make in India" initiative.
However, the UAE firm issued a statement last Monday saying that it has already identified the required land, facility and local partners to commence production immediately. "Over 20 per cent of the components fitted on the CAR 816 are already made in India, with Caracal now making commitment to fully manufacture the rifles in-country, in alignment with the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The initiative will also see Caracal oversee technology transfer,” the firm said in a statement. It added that Caracal surpassed global competitors in terms of performance and technicalities to win the bid two years ago, and "now confirms its readiness to service the fast track order from India within 12 months."
Hamad Al Ameri, CEO of Caracal, said that his firm was awarded the Close-Quarter Carbine contract in 2018 to supply the Indian Army with the CAR 816 after having undergone a "rigorous selection process". He added, "Having agreed to fast track the supply, and with the formalities still under discussion, we would like to reiterate our commitment to our bid and to the ‘Make in India’ initiative. With strong bilateral ties between our two nations, and with India being a key market for Caracal, we remain on stand-by to supply the product to the customer upon instruction".
The CAR 816 carbines are meant to replace the outdated and ageing 9 mm British Sterling 1A1 sub-machine guns that are currently in service. The Army decided in 2017 to opt for Fast Track Procurement of 93,895 new carbines amid an overall demand for 350,000 of such weapons. Israel Defense previously reported about India's possible deal with Caracal in July.
The UAE's government is said to be pushing for the deal which India's Defence Ministry had decided in principle to scrap so that the weapons could be manufactured domestically
The CAR 816. Photo: Caracal
India's The Print website reported that the UAE's government has reached out to India over a deal under which nearly 94,000 carbines will be manufactured for the Indian Army by Emirati state-owned entity Caracal. Knowledgeable sources were quoted as saying that the matter was raised by the UAE embassy in the Indian capital. The deal has been pending since 2018 because the Defence Ministry had decided in principle to scrap it and produce the weapons under the "Make in India" initiative.
However, the UAE firm issued a statement last Monday saying that it has already identified the required land, facility and local partners to commence production immediately. "Over 20 per cent of the components fitted on the CAR 816 are already made in India, with Caracal now making commitment to fully manufacture the rifles in-country, in alignment with the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The initiative will also see Caracal oversee technology transfer,” the firm said in a statement. It added that Caracal surpassed global competitors in terms of performance and technicalities to win the bid two years ago, and "now confirms its readiness to service the fast track order from India within 12 months."
Hamad Al Ameri, CEO of Caracal, said that his firm was awarded the Close-Quarter Carbine contract in 2018 to supply the Indian Army with the CAR 816 after having undergone a "rigorous selection process". He added, "Having agreed to fast track the supply, and with the formalities still under discussion, we would like to reiterate our commitment to our bid and to the ‘Make in India’ initiative. With strong bilateral ties between our two nations, and with India being a key market for Caracal, we remain on stand-by to supply the product to the customer upon instruction".
The CAR 816 carbines are meant to replace the outdated and ageing 9 mm British Sterling 1A1 sub-machine guns that are currently in service. The Army decided in 2017 to opt for Fast Track Procurement of 93,895 new carbines amid an overall demand for 350,000 of such weapons. Israel Defense previously reported about India's possible deal with Caracal in July.
