India’s Defence Ministry is to sign a Rs 2,770 crore contract for carbines with two private sector companies today. The contract to supply 4.25 lakh Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines for the Indian Army is the largest small arms contract placed on India's private sector. The deliveries are expected to begin in September 2026, and full deliveries will be completed by 2028. The Indian Army has attempted to replace its World War 2 era Sterling sub-machine guns for over two decades. 

The CQB contract will be signed with Bharat Forge and Adani Defence. The CQB carbine contract has been split between the two companies. Bharat Forge emerged as the lowest bidder or L1, and Adani Defence was the second lowest bidder or L2.  

Bharat Forge will supply 60% (255,000 units) of the CQB carbines, and Adani Defence will supply 40% (170,000 units) of the carbines. Bharat Forge will manufacture and supply the DRDO's Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) CQB carbine, chambered in 5.56x45mm cartridge. The weapon can hit targets at a range of 200m and weighs around 3.3 kg (unloaded). It has a foldable butt and Picatinny rail for mounting optics. The carbine uses a 30-round curved STANAG-compatible magazine, ensuring interoperability with other standard infantry equipment. On the other hand, the Adani Defence will be supplying the Israeli-designed IWI ACE 21N CQB carbine. It weighs 3.05 kg (unloaded). It has a rate of fire of between 680 and 880 rounds per minute.

These two carbines will replace the British-era Sterling 9x19mm carbines, which have been in service for over six decades. It is a second win for the Adani group, as it has already bagged the contract for supplying the Negev NG-7 “PRAHAR” Light Machine Guns (LMG) for the Indian Army in 2024. The IWI weapons have already been in service with the Indian forces, like the X-95 Tavor, Tavor TAR-21 and GALIL DMR, and it has set up its manufacturing plant in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, in collaboration with Adani Defence.

There have been past attempts by the Army to acquire a CQB carbine for over two decades. The first requirement was projected in 2005 by the Indian Army to replace the Sterling carbines. In 2011, a global Request for Proposal (RFP) for 44,618 carbines was issued. While firms like Beretta, Colt, and Sig Sauer participated, only Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) qualified. The deal was eventually scrapped because it became a "single vendor" case, which was restricted under the then-current procurement rules. In 2018, the Fast-Track Procurement (FTP)  route was used to procure the CQB carbine, which was driven by operational urgency. The MoD issued a tender for 93,895 carbines under Fast-Track Procedure.

The UAE-based firm Caracal emerged as the L1 bidder with its CAR 816. However, after two years of negotiations, the $110 million deal was cancelled in September 2020 in favour of indigenous "Make in India" solutions. And finally, this current success stems from the November 2022 Request for Proposal for 4.25 lakh units under the "Buy (Indian)" category. This tender explicitly prioritised domestic manufacturing and led to the October 2025 finalisation of the deal with Bharat Forge and Adani Defence.

Arjun Dev Singh

Arjun Dev Singh has a deep interest in defence, security, and strategic affairs. With a strong analytical lens and a passion for military and geopolitical developments, Arjun strives to bring clarity and context to complex national and international issues.