The border guarding force has asked for 10 Ugram 7.62 mm rifles, along with ammunition, for trials. These rifles use a larger cartridge than the 5.56 mm INSAS rifles that were also developed by DRDO about three decades ago.
Larger calibre rounds offer a higher kill probability and also longer range, with the emphasis being on ‘shoot to kill’ rather than on ‘shoot to injure’. This is a departure from the existing philosophy that hinges on the premise that an incapacitated soldier would tie down more soldiers to assist or evacuate him.
Before the induction of INSAS, the Army and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) used the semi-automatic 7.62 mm self-loading rifle and prior to it the 7.62 mm bolt action rifle, the design of which dated back to the pre-World War 2 era. Both these rifles packed a powerful punch.
Developed by DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and a Hyderabad-based firm Dvipa Armour India Private Limited, the Ugram rifle is claimed to be fully indigenous, which if successful, would make it a cost-effective option. It has been designed to meet the Indian Army’s requirements for an assault rifle to replace INSAS.
