Gwalior | In a boost to the Army's firepower, a defence major on Saturday delivered the first batch of 2,000 'Prahar' light machine guns (LMGs) manufactured under the 'Make in India' initiative.
The 7.62 mm-calibre weapon has been manufactured by Adani Defence and Aerospace at its Small Arms Complex located on the outskirts of Gwalior.
With India seeking to maintain robust defence deployment along its borders, particularly the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LoC), the new weaponry will further enhance the Army's firepower and its overall operational capability.
'Prahar' has a barrel length of 508 mm (20 inches), while the light machine gun weighs 8 kg and is 1,100 mm long. It has an effective range of 1,000 m, according to data shared by a spokesperson of the private firm.
A ceremony was held on the premises of the Gwalior facility on Saturday to hand over the LMGs to the Army, which was attended by A Anbarasu, DG Acquisition, Ministry of Defence, Ashish Rajvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence and Aerospace, and other senior officials of the company.
Anbarasu and others later flagged off a series of trucks carrying the first batch of the LMGs.
Interacting with reporters after the flag-off, Rajvanshi said, "The journey that has begun today took us six years, starting from bid submission, and we have delivered the first batch, 11 months ahead of schedule."
"The original timeline (for complete delivery), which was given to us by the customer, was over seven years, but I can assure you that in the next three years, the full order will be delivered," he added.
The company spokesperson said the total order for the LMGs stands at around 40,000.
Anbarasu, in his address at the event, praised the firm for saving several months by delivering ahead of schedule, and said it shows there is the ability to "race and fire" against time in turning contracts into deliveries.
He said the government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its defence industry partners, asserting that "scale" and "speed" are the twin pillars of defence acquisition that guide the entire procurement process.
Anbarasu underlined that the government and the private sector have to be together in the nation's journey towards achieving Atmanirbharta in defence.
He urged the private sector to "take off against the winds" and said Adani Defence appears "well-poised" to do so.
The senior official was given a tour of the shop floor at the facility before the flag-off, and he also tried his hand at an underground firing range.
Spread across 100 acres, the facility has an annual production capacity of up to 1,00,000 weapons, with more than 90 per cent domestic sourcing, the firm said.
The facility has an annual capacity of around 300 million rounds of small calibre ammunition, with plans to expand its capabilities to manufacture large and medium calibre ammunition, strengthening the integrated weapons and ammunition ecosystem, it said.
Each weapon undergoes lifecycle testing, ballistic assessment and environmental trials before deployment, ensuring adherence to the operational and reliability standards required by the armed forces, the company said.
Looking ahead, the Gwalior facility is also geared to manufacture close-quarter battle (CQB) weapons for the armed forces, further expanding India's indigenous small arms capability.
Rajvanshi said the firm's endeavour is to instil confidence among users that the country's 1.2 million-strong armed forces, along with paramilitary personnel, "can carry a 'Make in India' weapon at a price which is a fraction of the global market".
Starting April 2026, the company aims to roll out around 1,000 LMGs every month, he said, assuring that the entire order can be fulfilled in "less than three years".
The facility integrates barrel manufacturing, bolt carrier and receiver fabrication, advanced computer numerical control (CNC) machining, robotics, surface treatment, precision metrology, a metallurgy laboratory and a 25-m firing range, it said.
