Article

Bharat Forge Limited has been awarded a ₹1,661.9 crore contract by the Ministry of Defence for supplying 255,128 Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Carbines to the Indian Army, to be executed within five years. The 5.56 x 45 mm CQB Carbine is indigenously designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation's Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) and manufactured by Bharat Forge through its subsidiary Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited.

Weighing approximately 3.3 kilograms with an effective range of 200 meters, the CQB Carbine is designed for urban warfare and counter-insurgency missions. It can fire both NATO-standard and INSAS ammunition and features a modular design for adaptability. This contract is part of a broader ₹4,666 crore procurement initiative by the Ministry, aimed at enhancing India's defense capabilities and supporting domestic manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.