India's Indigenous Rifle Passes Tests, Cleared For CAPF Induction After 100 Days

Telangana-based defence startup Dvipa Defence has achieved a significant milestone in India's indigenous defence manufacturing programme, with its UGRAM 7.62x51 mm battle rifle successfully completing key evaluation trials conducted by the Indian Army and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The rifle is now moving towards procurement by several Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), marking a major step for the privately developed weapon system.

Developed in collaboration with the Armament Research and Development Establishment, a laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the UGRAM rifle was designed and built in just 100 days, making it one of the fastest indigenous small arms development programmes in the country. According to the company, the rifle has successfully cleared the Indian Army's General Staff Qualitative Requirement (GSQR) trials, extensive field evaluations across diverse climatic conditions and Ministry of Home Affairs Board trials, demonstrating its operational readiness.

Dvipa Defence Managing Director Sibu Joseph said the company received its manufacturing licence in 2021 and has since established a fully integrated production facility spread across more than 13 acres in Hyderabad with support from the Telangana government. He said the company has developed more than 100 indigenous weapon systems and variants over the past few years, with the UGRAM emerging as its flagship product. Joseph added that the company remains focused on designing and manufacturing world-class defence systems in India for the country's security forces.

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According to the company, the UGRAM rifle has undergone extensive reliability, endurance and performance testing before progressing towards procurement by the Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seema Bal and the National Security Guard. The rifle features a modern gas-operated rotating bolt mechanism, weighs less than four kilograms and has an effective firing range of approximately 500 metres. These features are intended to improve mobility, reliability and accuracy for personnel operating in varied terrain and operational environments.

Beyond the UGRAM programme, Dvipa Defence is expanding its portfolio of indigenous defence equipment to include assault rifles, carbines, sub-machine guns, ultra-light machine guns and weaponised anti-drone systems. Among its upcoming platforms are the U-19 sub-machine gun, the U-45 assault rifle, the Ultra-Light Machine Gun (ULMG) and the U-39 platform, all of which are being developed to meet the evolving operational requirements of India's armed forces and security agencies. The company says many of these systems are based on the modular architecture developed during the UGRAM programme.

Founded in 2018, Dvipa Defence has emerged as part of a new generation of private Indian defence manufacturers contributing to the government's push for self-reliance under the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative. India's defence sector has increasingly encouraged domestic design, development and production of military equipment to reduce dependence on imported weapon systems and strengthen national defence capabilities. With the successful completion of Army and MHA trials and procurement by CAPFs now underway, the UGRAM rifle represents a notable achievement for India's private defence industry and reinforces Hyderabad's growing reputation as a hub for indigenous defence manufacturing and innovation.

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