Gwalior: Adani Defence & Aerospace, in partnership with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), has delivered the first batch of 2,000 Prahar Light Machine Guns (LMGs) to the Indian Armed Forces, marking a key milestone under India’s indigenous defence push.

The delivery is part of a larger order of 41,000 LMGs and comes significantly ahead of schedule, highlighting the growing role of private sector participation in defence manufacturing.

Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) in the Department of Defence, A Anbarasu, praised the development, stating that the early delivery has saved nearly 600 days for the armed forces.

"Today, we have flagged off the dispatch of 2000 LMG Prahar guns by saving 600 days and dispatching them well ahead of schedule. The scale and speed are very critical for improving the Indian defence industry ecosystem, and I'm optimistic that in the coming days, the private industries and public sector industries, all defence industries, will rise to the occasion and meet their potential. From the policymaking side, the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) is in the process of being amended, and we are working on it. We will ensure that the new Defence Acquisition Procedure meets the aspirations of the industry and helps in adding to the Indian defence ecosystem..."

The delivery, under the government’s Make in India initiative, is seen as a significant step toward strengthening domestic defence production and reducing reliance on imports.

Ashish Rajvanshi said the project was aimed at building long-term manufacturing capability rather than merely supplying weapons.

"It has taken us 6 years to reach this point. The journey, which started in 2020 with the vision and the dream of 'Aatmanirbharta', we were not sure where we were going to land. With the perseverance and hard work of the team, and the support of the policymakers over the last five years, we can proudly say that we have moved from a component manufacturer to a full gun OEM. The whole focus was not about supplying a product or a gun, but to build a deep capability in India across the whole portfolio of small arms. What started as a light machine gun contract was actually establishing a full capability across light machine gun assault rifles, pistols, snipers, and carbines within the country."

He added that the company now has the capacity to manufacture up to 1 lakh firearms annually.

"Today, proudly, we can say we can manufacture 100,000 guns per year. This is something which is completely driven by the most reliable, accurate, highly driven quality management systems, which will ensure that there is no defect and no rejection beyond 0.5 to 0.4 per cent. This is done under Industry 4.0 digitisation. What the policymakers have witnessed today is the future of Indian defence, and factory after factory, what you're going to do from Adani Defence is something which is going to drive the future of India's dreams when it comes to becoming a global power, not only for the captive demand, but for the global exports."

Meanwhile, Shuki Schwartz said the Prahar LMGs would significantly enhance infantry capabilities.

"The NEGEV LMG is significant for the infantry, upgrading their capabilities. We believe it will support the Indian troops very much, as it did in the last supply of 16,000 LMGs, which took place in 2020. Now that it is produced in India, it is a very big pride for the Indian nation, and it supports the self-resilience of the Indian Army and the Indian Defence Forces."

He also addressed concerns about supply amid tensions in West Asia.

"Regarding the capability of supply within the activities in West Asia, there is no fear regarding it. First, we have a very significant facility in Israel that is supporting the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) and can support the Indian needs, too. Second, we are making PLR (Precision, Lethality, and Reliability, the Adani-IWI joint venture) an independent company that can serve its needs and will support the Indian needs in any circumstances with no problem."

The Prahar LMG, known as the Negev NG7 in Israel, is designed for high mobility and combat efficiency. It features a 20-inch barrel, weighs 7.6 kg, and can be compacted for use by paratroopers, making it a versatile addition to the armed forces.