New Arms for the Army: The ₹1,661 Cr Bharat Forge Deal

Bharat Forge Ltd (BFL) has secured a ₹1,661.9 crore contract from the Indian Ministry of Defence for the supply of 255,128 Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Carbines (5.56 × 45 mm) to the Indian Army.

The contract, signed on 30 December 2025, stipulates delivery of the complete order over a five-year period. The CQB Carbine is an indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured (IDDM) weapon system, developed through a collaboration between the Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) under DRDO and Bharat Forge Ltd, Pune.

This order underscores Bharat Forge’s strong commitment to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and reinforces its role in equipping the Indian Armed Forces with advanced, domestically manufactured defence solutions.

Along with its defence subsidiary, Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL), Bharat Forge continues to strengthen India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing by prioritizing indigenous design, development, and production of critical defence technologies.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.