India develops state-of-the-art Close Quarter Battle Carbine

In a significant stride towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing, India has successfully developed its own Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Carbine for the first time using entirely indigenous technology. 

Designed for short-range combat, this state-of-the-art weapon has been developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), a laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

DRDO has claimed that the new CQB carbine is optimized for close-range engagements up to 200 meters and is claimed to be one of the best in its class globally.

The weapon is intended for use by the Indian Army during counter-terrorism operations, anti-insurgency missions, and other close-quarter combat scenarios. The weapon is also aimed at meeting the operational needs of the Indian Armed Forces, particularly for urban warfare, anti-terror operations, and close-quarters engagements where maneuverability, speed, and precision are critical.

Notably, the carbine has repeatedly demonstrated its accuracy, operational efficiency, and high-quality performance under varied conditions. The responsibility for mass production has been entrusted to Bharat Forge Limited.

Sources indicate that the Indian Army is likely to place an order for over 400,000 units, reflecting the weapon's potential to significantly enhance the Army’s close-combat capabilities.

Proud moment for country

"It's an achievement for the DRDO and the Indian industry together. It has been designed by one of the labs of DRDO ARDE, Pune, and is being produced by Bharat Forge. It's a case of full synergy between the development agency as well as the manufacturing agency, which has led to the success of this particular product. It's an extremely proud moment for the country as well as for the DRDO," said Prateek Kishore, Scientist & Director General - Armament & Combat Engineering Systems, DRDO.

"It's a very compact weapon with a range of 200 meters and a weight of about 3.3 kilograms. It has a very unique feature that it can fire both NATO ammunition and INSAS ammunition, making it one of its own class. It has been performance evaluated as per the international parameters, and it is therefore meeting the requirements of the world's best in its class weapon. So it's a very potent weapon system for the infantry soldiers," he added.