New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) arms manufacturer “Karakal” has once again reiterated its commitment to supply 93,895 carbines to the Indian Army under a deal. The deal is pending since the year 2018. The company in a statement on Monday stressed that it is committed to India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. The statement comes amid indications that the Ministry of Defense is considering starting the new procurement process by canceling the deal for the carbine purchase. In the statement, the company also indicated that it is ready to ensure the transfer of technology to make the carbine in India.
The statement said, “Caracal has already identified the necessary land, facility, and local partners capable of immediate production. More than 20 percent of the components in the ‘Carbine 816’ are already manufactured in India, and also under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, Caracal is now committing itself to manufacture these rifles entirely in India. ” The company’s chief executive officer Hamad Al Amiri said the carbine contract was awarded to the company in 2018 after an extensive selection process. It is noteworthy that the Army is speeding up the process of procuring various defense equipment to address the emerging security challenges along the country’s borders with Pakistan and China.
