Srinagar: Army has started induction of sniper rifles and other modernized equipments along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir while the entire process of induction will be completed shortly, a media report said on Saturday.
Daily Excelsior quoting sources said that Army would be inducting about 6000 sniper rifles along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir including twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region and Baramulla and Kupwara in Kashmir during next few months, which would be of great help to the troops in anti-militancy operations especially in “thwarting intrusion bids from Pakistan” as sniper rifles can strike the target from quite a distance.
“Army has a target of purchasing around 6000 sniper rifles for the soldiers deployed all along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. The induction process has begun with arrival of some of the weapons from global suppliers. As soon as all weapons are received, they will be inducted on the LoC to strengthen capability of the troops during anti-infiltration operations,” the report quoting sources said.
Sources, however, added that upgradation of weaponry is an ongoing exercise.
“Other equipments which enhance counter terrorism capability of the Army along the LoC were also being inducted,” sources said, adding that further capability building of the troops is in the pipeline”.
As per the reports, soldiers guarding the LoC are being armed with deadly new sniper rifles, including an anti-material rifle that can go through concrete and metal objects, such as vehicles.
The guns being given to the soldiers are the .338 Lapua Magnum Scorpio TGT by Beretta, and the .50 Caliber M95 by Barrett. These snipers will replace the ageing Russian Dragunov, the mainstay of Indian Army soldiers, sources pointed out.
The US-made Barrett M95 is an anti-material rifle which has a whopping range of 1,800 meters.
The other gun that will be available to the troops along the LoC is the Victrix Armaments .338 Lapua Magnum Scorpio TGT, owned by Italian firm Beretta. The Scorpio TGT uses the .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6 70mm or 8.58 70mm), a rimless, bottlenecked, centre-fire rifle cartridge.