Indian Special Forces Get Major Upgrade
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The Indian government is looking to enhance its special forces. Special operation forces of the army, navy and air force will get a major shot in the arm with the recent contracts between India’s Ministry of Defence and military equipment manufacturers in Europe and Israel.
The equipment includes sniper rifles, portable anti-tank weapon systems, pistols, micro drones, parachutes, thermal sights, ship-boarding equipment and high-speed underwater mobility vehicles.
Nine special force battalions of the Indian army will get Finnish Sako sniper rifles, Carl Gustaf Mark-4 rocket launchers from Sweden and Beretta pistols from Italy, according to ibtimes.co.in.
The Mark-4 is the latest version of the Carl Gustaf and is lighter and shorter than previous versions and has the capability to fire programmable rounds. An older version is manufactured in India for the use of infantry battalions.
The Indian navy’s marine commandos, or Marcos, will induct midget submarines, combat free-fall parachutes, air-droppable inflatable boats, remote-controlled underwater vehicles for ordnance disposal, Russian suppressed VSS sniper rifles, hands-free power ascenders and boarding equipment – meant for securing a hostile ship.
The youngest special force of the three, Indian Air Force’s Garud commandos will also induct new sniper rifles and thermal sights, used for picking up targets in low-light conditions and night. Garuds have already acquired 65 micro UAVs, which are used for reconnaissance.
The move comes after the spectacular success of the Indian army’s September 2016 surgical strikes across the line of control in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
