Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday handed over several indigenously-developed equipment and systems to the Army.
Items includes Future Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS), new generation anti-personnel mine ‘Nipun’, rugged and automatic communication system with enhanced capabilities, upgraded sights system for tanks, advanced thermal imagers and state-of-the-art high mobility infantry protected vehicles and assault boats.
The equipment/systems have been jointly developed by Indian Army in collaboration with Defence Public Sector Undertakings, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Industry, a Defence Ministry statement said.
Stating that the infrastructural needs of the armed forces are increasing with constantly-changing times, Mr. Singh called for infrastructural development based on latest technology to help the forces remain prepared to deal with future challenges.
Under the F-INSAS the infantry soldier is being equipped with three primary sub-systems. “In addition to the primary weapon system, the soldiers will also be kitted with multi-mode hand grenade which has also been procured indigenously along with multi-purpose knife,” the Defence Ministry statement said.
On the anti-personnel mine, the statement said the Army has been using vintage NMM 14 mines and with the Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, and the Indian industry, a new Indian mine named ‘Nipun’ has been developed.