The Indian Army, the second largest standing army in the world with more than 1.2 million active troops, is currently undergoing a comprehensive firearms procurement process to advance the capabilities of the Indian Army’s infantrymen.

 

As part of that process, the Indian Ministry of Defense has officially contracted with SIG SAUER to build and deliver 72,400 SIG716 rifles for the Indian Army’s frontline infantry soldiers. The SIG716 is an enhanced AR platform featuring a 16-inch barrel, M-LOK™ handguard, and a 6-position telescoping stock. SIG SAUER will build the SIG716 rifles for the Indian Army in New Hampshire.

According to Ron Cohen, President and CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc., “This is the first large firearms procurement of the Indian Government in decades, and the explicit mission for this tender was to modernize the infantry troopers of the Indian Army with the best rifle available. The SIG716 rifle underwent a comprehensive and exhaustive testing and evaluation process where it outperformed the competition, and was ultimately chosen, and met all the criteria, as the best rifle to modernize the Indian Army.”