Sig confirms: Will make 72,400 rifles for Indian Army in New Hampshire

By Chris Eger

India has been attempting to replace their INSAS rifles for a decade, and Sig Sauer will provide over 70,000 new ones to help jump-start that effort (Photo: Basit Zargar via Indian Ministry of Defense)
A deal 10 years in the making to supply the Indian Army with new rifles has been closed by Sig Sauer who will make the guns in the U.S. for export.
With 1.2 million active soldiers, India has the second largest standing army in the world and has been using the domestically-made INSAS 5.56mm rifle — augmented by AK47s — as standard since the 1980s. For the past decade, Delhi has been trying to upgrade their small arms without much luck but this week made it official that Sig would supply at least 72,400 new guns for starters.
“Ten years wait ends,” said the Indian Ministry of Defense on Tuesday about the fast-tracked contract, promising that the complete order would “be delivered in a year from today.”
The guns, 7.62x51mm SIG716 rifles, are an enhanced AR platform featuring a 16-inch barrel, M-LOK handguards, and a six-position telescoping stock. The company confirmed on Wednesday they will be American-made in their New Hampshire factories.
“This is the first large firearms procurement of the

Source: Guns.com