India gets its first Indigenous sniper rifle from Ishapore of West Bengal

India’s first indigenous sniper rifle was launched at the Ishapore rifle factory close to Kolkata in Bengal on 30^th August.

Ratneswar Varma, general manager of the 230 year old Rifle Works, said, that there is an increasing demand for sniper rifles in security forces which prompted the move to manufacture the sniper rifle here; and that orders for the same have come from Haryana Police, Rajasthan Police and CRPF."

The R&D for the sniper rifle was done at Ishapore for over a year before assembling began. The rifle even won a gold medal in a shooting competition.

The biggest advantage of an indigenous sniper rifle is that it can be procured at one third of the price of imported sniper rifles whereas not compromising on quality, and being indigenous will ensure that it never runs short of ammunition and spares.

The Ishapore indigenous sniper rifles can set someone back by about Rs. 2.5 lakh (exclusive of tax). German-made Heckler & Koch rifles are available at three times the price of the Ishapore rifles.