In India’s defence manufacturing growth story, ICOMM, a group company of Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), has taken centre stage. On February 21, 2023, ICOMM signed a partnership and licensing agreement with UAE-based EDGE entity CARACAL for the first-ever Transfer of Technology (ToT) in defence articles. As per the agreement, ICOMM will locally manufacture CARACAL’s complete line of small arms for the Indian market under the ‘Make in India’ and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
The signing took place at the ongoing IDEX 2023 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, one of the largest tri-service defence exhibitions in the world.
ICOMM will manufacture the full range of CARACAL small arms, including the versatile CARACAL EF pistol, modern CMP 9 submachine gun, CAR 814, CAR 816 and CAR 817 tactical rifles, CAR 817 DMR tactical sniper rifle, CSR 50 anti-material sniper rifle, CSR 338 and CSR 308 bolt action sniper rifles and the CSA 338 semi-automatic sniper rifle.
Sumanth P, Managing Director of ICOMM, said, “India’s Defence industry is on a strong path to develop its sovereign manufacturing capabilities. This agreement exemplifies the commitment shown by CARACAL to aid India’s ambitions towards making the defence sector self-sufficient.”
The Indian Government seriously took up the indigenisation of Defence manufacturing, allowing the private sector to manufacture weapons, breaking the age-old view to ensure no disruptions in the supply chain. Sumanth added, “Our entry into small arms production is a proud moment for us.”
CARACAL’s complete line of small arms will be produced in ICOMM’s world-class design, development and manufacturing centre in Hyderabad. ICOMM is one of the largest companies manufacturing missiles & sub-systems, communications & EW systems, radars, electro-optics, composites, loitering munitions, shelters, drone & counter-drone systems.
Hamad Al Ameri, CEO of CARACAL, said, “This strategically important signing with ICOMM for collaboration in the Indian market is a key objective for CARACAL. As India continues to realise its sovereign defence ambitions, we look forward to partnering with ICOMM, whose capabilities in providing end-to-end solutions across multiple sectors, including engineering and defence, compliments CARACAL’s portfolio of advanced small arms.
