Adani Defence delivers first batch of ‘Prahar’ machine guns to Indian Army

India’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing received a boost as the Indian Army received the first batch of 2,000 ‘Prahar’ light machine guns (LMGs) from Adani Defence and Aerospace . The weapons were manufactured at the company’s Small Arms Complex in Gwalior under the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

The induction of these weapons is expected to enhance the Army’s operational capability, particularly along sensitive borders such as the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. The move is also part of the Army’s wider modernisation programme aimed at replacing ageing infantry weapons with more reliable and effective systems suited for modern battlefield conditions.

A ceremony was held at the Gwalior facility where A. Anbarasu, Director General (Acquisition), Ministry of Defence, and Ashish Rajvanshi , CEO of Adani Defence and Aerospace, flagged off trucks carrying the first batch of the machine guns to the Army.

Rajvanshi said the delivery marked the culmination of nearly six years of work beginning from the bidding stage. Notably, the company delivered the first batch 11 months ahead of schedule . The full order for the weapons is expected to be completed within the next three years.

The Prahar light machine gun , chambered in 7.62 mm calibre , weighs about 8 kg and has an effective range of around 1,000 metres . Designed for sustained automatic fire, the weapon offers infantry soldiers a combination of high firepower and mobility , making it suitable for combat in diverse conditions including mountains, deserts and extreme weather.

The gun is based on the Israeli Negev NG-7 platform and is being manufactured in India through Adani Defence’s partnership with Israel Weapon Industries . The programme forms part of a larger contract for around 40,000 machine guns , aimed at strengthening the Army’s small-arms inventory with domestically produced weapons.

Adani Defence’s 100-acre facility in Gwalior integrates advanced manufacturing technologies including CNC machining, robotics, metallurgy laboratories and precision testing systems. The plant can produce up to 1,00,000 weapons annually and also has the capacity to manufacture around 300 million rounds of small-calibre ammunition each year.

Starting April 2026 , the company plans to produce around 1,000 Prahar LMGs every month , with the entire order expected to be completed by 2028-29 , further strengthening India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capability.