India Reveals New Indigenous Assault Rifle - The ‘Ugram’
This new rifle uses a 7.62 x 51-millimeter caliber round and weighs less than four kilograms. It has a 20-round magazine, can fire in single and fully automatic modes, and has an effective range of 500 meters. The rifle was developed and manufactured with private industry partner Dvipa Armour India Private Limited
Eyal Boguslavsky
| 16/01/2024
Screen grab: https://youtu.be/4mLNuCIqlcw
India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has launched a new, domestically-built assault rifle for the armed forces, paramilitary, and state police, the "Ugram".
This new rifle uses a 7.62 x 51-millimeter caliber round and weighs less than four kilograms. It has a 20-round magazine, can fire in single and fully automatic modes, and has an effective range of 500 meters. The rifle was developed and manufactured with private industry partner Dvipa Armour India Private Limited.
The indigenous assault rifle is scheduled to undergo a series of internal testing, acceptance trials, and user trials before being inducted into the armed forces. According to DRDO, the trial will see the weapon fire numerous rounds without stopping to evaluate its accuracy and consistency. The Ugram will also be tested in various weather and geographic conditions, including at high altitudes, to see if it can support operations along the country’s contested border with China.
Thedefencepost.com website notes that the move to develop its own rifle was made despite the Indian government approving the purchase of 70,000 SIG 716 assault rifles from Sig Sauer. The US-made weapons will be used in counter-terrorism and other major operations of the Indian Army.
Dvipa Armour India director Ram Chaitanya Reddy said the country proceeded with the domestic development because of the current “major shortfall” of assault rifles in India. “The AK-203 project has not taken off because of the Russia-Ukraine war. So, this window of opportunity has come up. Three months ago, in October 2023, we received the order. And we have successfully given five prototypes.”
This new rifle uses a 7.62 x 51-millimeter caliber round and weighs less than four kilograms. It has a 20-round magazine, can fire in single and fully automatic modes, and has an effective range of 500 meters. The rifle was developed and manufactured with private industry partner Dvipa Armour India Private Limited
Screen grab: https://youtu.be/4mLNuCIqlcw
India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has launched a new, domestically-built assault rifle for the armed forces, paramilitary, and state police, the "Ugram".
This new rifle uses a 7.62 x 51-millimeter caliber round and weighs less than four kilograms. It has a 20-round magazine, can fire in single and fully automatic modes, and has an effective range of 500 meters. The rifle was developed and manufactured with private industry partner Dvipa Armour India Private Limited.
The indigenous assault rifle is scheduled to undergo a series of internal testing, acceptance trials, and user trials before being inducted into the armed forces. According to DRDO, the trial will see the weapon fire numerous rounds without stopping to evaluate its accuracy and consistency. The Ugram will also be tested in various weather and geographic conditions, including at high altitudes, to see if it can support operations along the country’s contested border with China.
Thedefencepost.com website notes that the move to develop its own rifle was made despite the Indian government approving the purchase of 70,000 SIG 716 assault rifles from Sig Sauer. The US-made weapons will be used in counter-terrorism and other major operations of the Indian Army.
Dvipa Armour India director Ram Chaitanya Reddy said the country proceeded with the domestic development because of the current “major shortfall” of assault rifles in India. “The AK-203 project has not taken off because of the Russia-Ukraine war. So, this window of opportunity has come up. Three months ago, in October 2023, we received the order. And we have successfully given five prototypes.”
