India successfully test-fires indigenous assault rifle, ending decades of import dependence

The Sher, meaning Tiger, was fired at an ordnance factory in Amethi on August 23, marking what experts described as cracking the Kalashnikov code without importing any parts.

Replacing a troubled predecessor

The new rifle will replace the Indian National Small Arms System (INSAS) service rifles currently used by the Indian Army. The INSAS platform attracted complaints just a year after the army adopted it.

Indian soldiers fighting the high-altitude Kargil war in 1999 against Pakistan-backed forces in Ladakh, then a part of Kashmir, reported the firearm tended to jam and its magazine would crack in freezing temperatures.

Broader push for defence independence

The successful test represents a significant victory for India's self-reliance efforts, given that most of its military weapon systems, from Su-30MKI fighter jets to several warships and submarines, come from Russia.

India has been slowly reducing its reliance on Russian-made weapons as Moscow prioritises its own needs for its ongoing war with Ukraine. The country has been diversifying its arms purchases by buying equipment from France, Israel and the United States, while simultaneously boosting domestic manufacturing.

Source: South China Morning Post