NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Monday approved arms acquisitions worth another Rs 2,290 crore, including the procurement of 72,000 more assault rifles from the US, amid the ongoing military confrontation in eastern Ladakh with China.
The Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC) cleared the Rs 780 crore acquisition of the assault rifles from US firm SiG Sauer. The 13-lakh strong Army has already inducted 72,400 SiG Sauer rifles, which are 7.62x51 mm caliber guns with an effective “kill” range of 500-metre, under a Rs 647 crore fast-track procurement (FTP) deal inked in February last year.

The DAC on Monday also gave the nod for the indigenous procurements of smart anti-airfield weapons for Rs 970 crore and static HF trans-receiver sets for Rs 540 crore.
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