State PCS - Rajasthan (RAS)

• 03 Jun 2025

Rajasthan to Manufacture Rifles and Machine Guns

Why in News? 

Under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Rising Rajasthan’ initiatives, Rajasthan secured defence clearance for projects worth over Rs 1500 crore. 

• It marks a significant milestone for the state’s defence manufacturing sector, positioning it as a key player in India’s defence production and exports.

Key Points 

• Rajasthan’s Role in Defence Manufacturing: 
  • Gun parts will be manufactured in locations like Jodhpur and Jaipur, with barrels produced at a specialised facility in Boranada, Jodhpur—ensuring supply chain security through a decentralised, infrastructure-driven approach. 
    • A key challenge is meeting safety norms for ammunition storage, which requires facilities to be 8–10 km from inhabited areas; the government is being approached for suitable land allocation. 
• Advanced Weapon Systems Under Production: 
  • Military-Grade Sniper Rifle: Engineered for long-range precision with sub-minute of angle (MOA) accuracy up to 2.4 km, this fully indigenous weapon is built to perform reliably across diverse environments. 
  • Multi-Barrel Machine Gun: Boasting a firing rate of 6,000 rounds per minute and a 1,000-yard range, it can fire 15,000 rounds per belt, with future upgrades planned for C-RAM (Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar) and anti-aircraft roles. 
• Significance for India’s Defence Ecosystem: 
  • Alignment with ‘Make in India’: The initiative embodies India’s vision of self-reliance in defence manufacturing by producing fully indigenous, cutting-edge weapon systems. 
  • Decentralised and Robust Production: Multiple production hubs reduce risk, improve security, and leverage regional industrial infrastructure, contributing to resilience in the supply chain. 
  • Boost to Defence Start-ups: Involvement of defence startups in the project reflects the growing role of innovation and private sector participation in the defence sector. 
  • Export Potential: Early interest from countries such as Togo and Thailand indicates promising export opportunities, supporting India’s goal to become a global defence supplier. 
  • Complement to Existing Defence Production: Following Uttar Pradesh’s success with BrahMos missile production, Rajasthan’s entry into small arms manufacturing diversifies India’s defence production capabilities.

BrahMos Missile

• The BrahMos missile, which has a range of 290 km, is an Indo-Russian joint venture and is the world's fastest cruise missile with a top speed of Mach 2.8 (about three times the speed of sound).  
  • BrahMos is named after the Brahmaputra (India) and Moskva (Russia) rivers.  
• It is a two-stage missile (solid propellant engine in the first stage and liquid ramjet in the second stage).  
• It is a multiplatform missile i.e. it can be launched from land, air and sea and is a multi-capability missile with high accuracy which operates both during day and night irrespective of weather conditions .  
• It operates on the "fire and forgets" principle i.e. it does not require guidance after launch.  
• Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia are among other potential customers for the BrahMos missile. 

‘Make in India’ Initiative 

• About: The campaign was launched to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, protect intellectual property & build best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure.  
• Objectives:  
  • Increase the growth rate of the manufacturing sector to 12-14% per annum.  
  • Create 100 million additional manufacturing jobs by 2022 (revised to 2025).  
  • Increase the manufacturing sector's contribution to GDP to 25% by 2025.  
• Pillars of ‘Make in India’:  
  • New Processes: Recognized 'ease of doing business' as vital for entrepreneurship, implementing measures to improve the business environment for startups and established enterprises.  
  • New Infrastructure: The government prioritised developing industrial corridors and smart cities to create world-class infrastructure.   
    • It also enhanced innovation and research through streamlined registration systems and improved intellectual property rights (IPR) infrastructure.  
• Make in India 2.0: The ongoing "Make in India 2.0" phase, encompassing 27 sectors, continues to propel the program forward, consolidating India’s role as a significant player in the global manufacturing arena.