NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Tuesday inked contracts worth Rs 4,666 crore for procurement of over 4.25 lakh close-quarter battle carbines with two domestic firms and 48 heavyweight torpedoes for the Scorpene or Kalvari-class submarines with an Italian one.The Rs 2,770 crore deal for the CQB carbines, along with accessories, was inked with Bharat Forge Ltd and PLR Systems (a joint venture between Adani Defence and Israel Weapon Industries) in the presence of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

While 60% of the carbines will be manufactured by Bharat Forge, the rest by PLR Systems, with the deliveries to the Army and Navy likely to be completed in around five years. “This marks the culmination of an extraordinary, persistent effort to equip Indian soldiers with world-class lethality, replacing legacy systems with cutting-edge indigenous technology under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision,” the MoD said, in a statement.“The CQB carbines provide a critical edge in close combat through their compact design and high rate of fire, ensuring rapid, decisive lethality in confined spaces. The contract highlights the synergy between the govt and private sector, which will further give impetus to the Make-in-India initiative,” it added.The Rs 1,896 crore contract for the procurement and integration of 48 “Black Shark” heavyweight torpedoes, along with associated equipment, for the Navy’s six Kalvari-class or Scorpene submarines, in turn, was signed with WASS Submarine Systems S.R.L.,

Italy. The diesel-electric Scorpene submarines have been constructed by the Mumbai-based Mazagon Docks in collaboration with the French Naval Group under Project-75 for over Rs 23,000 crore. The first submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned into the Navy in Dec 2017, while the sixth INS Vagsheer in Jan this year.“The delivery of the 48 torpedoes will begin from April 2028 and be completed by early-2030.The torpedoes, which have significant operational capabilities and advanced technological features, will enhance the combat capability of the six Kalvari-class submarines,” the MoD said.