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Having already secured a contract to supply around 1,45,000 assault rifles to the Indian Army, American arms maker Sig Sauer on Wednesday said that it will manufacture a portion of these firearms in India.
Announcing its partnership with Pune-based Nibe Group, the company stated that India is its "largest procurement source" globally. Sig Sauer's CEO and President Ron Cohen told ANI that by 2025, the company plans to manufacture a complete product in India, initially for the Indian market, including the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Cohen also revealed that the company has recently received an additional order for 73,000 Sig 716 assault rifles, which it will deliver throughout 2025. "A few years ago, we won a significant order for the armed forces as part of their modernisation efforts. We successfully delivered 72,500 Sig 716 rifles, and the troops are highly satisfied. Recently, we received an additional order for 73,000 units, which we will deliver over the course of 2025. This will be executed in partnership with Ganesh Nibe and the Nibe Group, enabling us to bring our technology, quality innovation, and capacity to meet the substantial product demand projected for the next 5 to 10 years," Cohen said. He added, "We've been active in India for nearly 20 years, sourcing numerous components from its defence industry. India has become our largest procurement source worldwide for Sig Sauer, which operates across 93 countries. We are the world's largest manufacturer of firearms." Looking to the future, Cohen mentioned that Sig Sauer envisions using India as a regional hub to serve the eastern hemisphere. "In 2025, we'll be producing a fully Indian-made product for the domestic market, targeting both the MOD and MHA. Over time, India will serve as our operational base to cover the majority of the eastern hemisphere. We see India as a source of engineering and manufacturing expertise. The growth of Indian technology and the market's potential make it an attractive hub for Sig Sauer beyond the United States... With Nibe's dynamic approach, I'm confident there won't be any challenges. We also have a procurement office in Delhi," he said. "We're continually increasing the percentage of components manufactured in India. Sig Sauer is a premium company and the largest firearms supplier to the US military. Our quality requirements are exceptionally stringent, and we find the necessary standards met abundantly in India," he added. (ANI)
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