Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented the Future Infantry Soldier As A System (F-INSAS) to the Indian Army on August 16 in the presence of Army Chief General Manoj Pande and Lieutenant General Harpal Singh.
The Army’s F-INSAS soldier briefed Rajnath Singh on his new weapon systems and aids, including the AK-203 assault rifle, during the ceremony. The AK-203 assault rifles will be manufactured in Amethi by a joint venture of Indian and Russian companies.
Modern systems
The new weapon system, which has a range of 300 metres, is the first and only Made in India weapon in the 21 series. Survivability equipment includes a ballistic helmet, ballistic goggles, bulletproof jacket, elbow pads, and knee pads. The bulletproof jacket and helmet provide protection against lethal weapons such as a 9mm bullet at point blank range and an AK-47 rifle.
According to the soldier during the briefing, modern infantry soldiers are also provided with holographic vision that is mounted on their rifles to aid in target and acquisition. The maximum range is 200 metres.
To see clearly in the night and engage with enemies, soldiers have been provided with Night Vision Devices (NVDs) which is mounted on the helmet for their ease.
For communication purposes, soldiers have been given a hands-free head commander and head-set. This will help enhance the operational capabilities of an infantry soldier and improve communication effectively.
System capabilities
Several indigenous weaponry systems, including the anti-personnel land mine Nipun, the Landing Craft Attack for use in operations in Pangong Lake, infantry combat vehicles, and numerous other systems, were also presented to the Indian Army at the ceremony by Rajnath Singh.
During the ceremony, Lt General Harpal Singh, Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, stated that the government has taken a number of initiatives to support Make in India in the defence industry. “Different policy decisions have been taken by the Government of India to help promote indigenisation of weapon systems for the Armed Forces. Many new equipment inducted by the Army in this direction including mines, personal weapons and infantry combat vehicles,” he said.
Singh added that the Indian Army is prepared to combat any threat, whether it comes from the western desert or high-altitude areas in the Ladakh region. The government’s push for indigenous defence production may serve as a backdrop for the introduction of indigenous systems. This is consistent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pledge for Aatmanirbhar Bharat, which has also been translated into efforts by the Ministry of Defense to achieve defence self-sufficiency.
