A Close Quarter Battle Carbine designed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Forge has aced the Indian Army’s procurement process, emerging as the lowest bidder for a major small arms contract.

The weapon— a 5.56x45mm Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbine— was declared the L1 bidder in the Army’s recently opened tender. The contract, valued at ₹2,000 crore, represents the largest single order for an Indian-designed, developed, and manufactured (IDDM) weapon system since the early 2000s, when the Army inducted the INSAS rifle.

This development marks a significant milestone for DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune, which designed the carbine. Production will be undertaken by Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd, a Bharat Forge subsidiary also based in Pune.

India’s search for a Carbine
The Army’s tender had attracted responses from seven Indian firms, including major players such as the Adani Group, Jindal, ICOMM, Small Arms Factory (Kanpur), and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL). The Request for Information (RFI) called for 4.25 lakh carbines suited for close combat scenarios. Key specifications included compatibility with standard-issue 5.56x45mm ammunition, a minimum lifespan of 15 years or 15,000 rounds, and the ability to achieve nine hits out of ten within a 15cm x 15cm target group.

The Army has long sought a replacement for its outdated 9x19mm Sterling carbines, in use for over two decades. While the competition initially welcomed foreign firms, a policy shift in 2022 restricted eligibility to Indian vendors under the Ministry of Defence’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) initiative.

The Bids
The bid process for the Army’s order of 4.25 lakh carbines saw Bharat Forge emerge as the lowest bidder at ₹2,770 crore, followed by PLR Systems at ₹3,148 crore, Jindal Defence at ₹3,379 crore, ICOMM at ₹3,495 crore, Small Arms Factory Kanpur at ₹4,410 crore, and BEL at ₹4,577 crore.

The deal, once finalised, is expected to boost indigenous small arms production and mark a turning point in India’s efforts to modernise its infantry weaponry using home-grown technologies.

Sandeep Unnithan inspects the CQB Carbine at DRDO's Raigad Armoury.

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