India is implementing a plan to buy modern optical sights from Israel to improve the effectiveness of its armed forces’ light machine guns. As part of the move, at least 10,000 daytime sights will be purchased.
The Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post reported on Monday that the Indian army had chosen a new daytime optic called the “Mepro X6,” made by the Israel-based firm Meprolight, for its Negev light machine guns. The decision was taken to boost the long-range targeting ability of Indian troops in border areas, the report said.
The report again highlights the deep military ties between India and Israel. The partnership has grown steadily since the 1990s, evolving from what was once an ordinary buyer-seller relationship into strategic cooperation covering missiles, missile defense systems, drones, electronic warfare and small-arms production. Following that pattern, the “Negev 7,” a modern version of the light machine gun family made by Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) and used in the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, is now being manufactured in India under the government’s “Make in India” initiative.
The Meprolight Mepro X6 covered by the deal is a lightweight optical sight that can accurately hit targets up to 1,000 meters, or about one kilometer, away. The modern, wide-field device is highly rugged and runs on a single standard battery, the report said. Meprolight said the sights had been built specifically to suit the needs of the Indian army. To meet India’s localization requirements, Meprolight has signed a technology-transfer agreement with RRP Defence, which will manufacture the device domestically and supply it to the main contractor, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report