SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
The Border Security Force (BSF), India’s premier border guarding force, has initiated trials for the Ugram, a new 7.62mm indigenous assault rifle developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), as a potential replacement for the ageing 5.56mm INSAS rifle. Reported by The Tribune on April 21, 2025, the BSF has requested 10 Ugram rifles and ammunition for rigorous evaluation, marking a significant step toward modernizing its arsenal with a larger-calibre, fully indigenous weapon.
This move aligns with the Indian Army’s adoption of 7.62mm platforms like the AK-203 and SIG-716, reflecting a broader shift toward enhanced stopping power for counter-insurgency and border operations. As India pushes for self-reliance under the “Make in India” initiative, the Ugram’s trials could pave the way for a cost-effective, domestically produced standard-issue rifle for the BSF’s 265,000 personnel.
Introduced in the late 1990s, the INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle, developed by DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), has been the BSF’s standard-issue weapon for nearly three decades. Chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, the INSAS was designed to replace the 7.62mm self-loading rifles (SLRs) used by the Indian Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). However, the rifle faced persistent criticism for reliability issues, including jamming in extreme conditions and inadequate stopping power against heavily armed insurgents, as noted in a 2015 Delhi High Court PIL. A 2017 The Hindu report highlighted the army’s concerns over the INSAS’s performance in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting its gradual phase-out.
The BSF, tasked with guarding India’s 6,386-km borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, faces diverse threats, from cross-border infiltration to narco-smuggling via drones, as evidenced by the seizure of three Pakistani drones in Amritsar on April 19, 2025. The INSAS’s 5.56mm round, optimized for wounding rather than stopping, is less effective in high-intensity engagements, particularly against adversaries equipped with body armor or operating in rugged terrain like Jammu’s LoC. The shift to 7.62mm, mirrored by the army’s adoption of the AK-203 (7.62x39mm) and SIG-716 (7.62x51mm), reflects a return to the “powerful punch” of pre-INSAS 7.62mm SLRs, which were based on pre-World War II designs.
The Ugram rifle, jointly developed by DRDO’s ARDE in Pune and Hyderabad-based Dvipa Armour India Private Limited, is a fully indigenous 7.62x51mm assault rifle designed to meet the BSF’s operational needs. Unlike the INSAS, which struggled with foreign dependency for components, the Ugram leverages India’s growing defence manufacturing ecosystem, promising cost-effectiveness and supply chain resilience. Displayed publicly at DRDO’s 2024 DefExpo, the rifle features a modular design, Picatinny rails for optics, and compatibility with modern accessories, aligning with global trends in infantry weapons.
The BSF’s request for 10 Ugram rifles and ammunition, as reported by The Tribune, signals a rigorous evaluation process to assess reliability, recoil management, and performance under operational conditions. Trials will likely simulate border scenarios, including high-altitude engagements along the LoC and close-quarters combat against smugglers, as seen in the BSF’s recovery of six pistols and 14 magazines near Amritsar on April 18, 2025. The shift to 7.62mm aligns with the BSF’s evolving role, which includes supporting the army on the LoC under operational control, as recommended in a January 2025 Tribune op-ed advocating for clearer CAPF roles.
NOTE : Article cannot be reproduced without written permission of idrw.org in any form even for YouTube Videos to avoid Copy right strikes. Websites doing illegal reproductions will get DMCA and Legal Notices.