Adani Defence & Aerospace delivers 2,000 indigenous Prahar LMGs to Indian Army ahead of schedule
New Delhi, March 29. Adani Defence & Aerospace has handed over the first batch of 2,000 indigenously built 7.62×51 mm Prahar light machine guns (LMGs) to the Indian Army, marking a notable advance in India’s domestic small-arms manufacturing capability.
The delivery was completed in just seven months – 11 months ahead of the contractual timeline. The First-of-Production Model (FOPM) was achieved in six months against an 18-month development schedule, followed by Bulk Production Clearance (BPC), allowing swift transition to full-scale manufacturing.
The handover event was attended by A Anbarasu, Director General (Acquisition) and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, along with senior armed forces officials.
The Prahar LMGs are being produced at Adani Defence’s Small Arms Facility in Gwalior, the country’s first fully integrated private-sector small arms manufacturing hub. Spread over 100 acres, the complex houses barrel production, receiver and bolt carrier fabrication, advanced CNC machining, robotics, surface treatment units, precision metrology, a metallurgy laboratory and a 25-metre underground firing range.
Each weapon undergoes rigorous lifecycle testing, ballistic evaluation and environmental trials to meet the operational reliability standards of the armed forces. With more than 90 percent domestic sourcing, the facility is designed to produce up to 1,00,000 weapons annually, while also generating skilled employment and supporting MSMEs across the supply chain in Madhya Pradesh.
This manufacturing ecosystem is complemented by Adani Defence’s ammunition facility in Kanpur, commissioned in 2024, which has an annual capacity of around 300 million rounds of small-calibre ammunition and plans to expand into medium and large-calibre segments. Together, the two facilities create an integrated weapons-and-ammunition production chain aimed at strengthening long-term self-reliance.
The Gwalior plant is also being prepared to manufacture close quarter battle (CQB) weapons for the armed forces, further widening India’s indigenous small-arms portfolio.
Technically, the Prahar LMG is designed for reliability and adaptability in combat. It operates from an open bolt with gas-operated piston action and rotating bolt locking, and offers safe, semi-automatic and automatic firing modes. Equipped with a gas regulator for adverse conditions, the weapon can fire using either a 120-round assault drum or belt feed, and comes fitted with a durable bipod for stability.
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(Representational image)
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