UAE-based arms manufacturer Caracal has reportedly forwarded a proposal to manufacture carbines in India reiterating its commitment to a pending deal.
The company was selected in 2018 to deliver more than 90,000 carbines for the Indian Army. However, defined at that time as a ‘fast track’ contract, the deal stalled after the authorities started planning to develop the weapons locally.
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According to a PTI report, Caracal has offered a proposal to manufacture CAR 816 assault rifles in India to support the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
In a statement, Caracal was quoted by the news agency as saying: “Caracal has already identified the required land, facility and local partners to be able to commence production immediately.
“Over 20% of the components fitted on the CAR 816 are already made in India, with Caracal now making commitment to fully manufacture the rifles in (the) country, in alignment with the ‘Make in India’ initiative.”
This comes after reports indicated that the Indian Government may have cancelled the contract to launch a new procurement process.
The PTI report said that Caracal can also transfer the necessary technology to support the manufacturing process.
Caracal statement further added: “The company already surpassed global competitors in terms of performance and technicalities to win the bid two years ago, and now confirms its readiness to service the fast track order from India within 12 months.”
However, the Indian side is yet to officially respond to Caracal’s offer.
Recently, India said that its Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has formed eight advanced technology centres to research on futuristic military applications.
