Lok Sabha Question No. 3671 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-08
Subject: Technological Partner for Small Arms
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN, R.K. BHARATHI MOHAN, PR. SENTHILNATHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

## DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE PRODUCTION

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3671

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 TH  AUGUST, 2018

## TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNER FOR SMALL ARMS

3671.  SHRI  K.N. RAMACHANDRAN: SHRI BHARATHI  MOHAN  R.K.: SHRI PR. SENTHIL NATHAN:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has issued any circular on Expression of  Interest  (EoIs)  opened  prior  to  the  approval  of  new  Standard  Operating  Procedure (SOP)  in  March  2018  to  be  based  on  the  old  SOP  of  September  2016  or  the  newly approved SOP;;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  three  years  to  decide  not  to  proceed  with approval of Technological Partner (OEM) for manufacture of small arms since the EoI was floated in 2015;
- (d) if so, the status of other EoIs floated by OFB in the last three years; and
- (e) whether they were given approval by the Government based on old SOP or new SOP and if so, the details thereof?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE)

र  ा रा य मं ी

(डा. सुभाष भामरे)

(a) to (e): A Statement is attached.

*******

## STATEMENT  REFERRED TO  IN  REPLY  TO    PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  of  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3671 FOR ANSWER ON 08 AUGUST 2018

(a) to (e): Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) , in April 2018 had issued  a circular regarding  applicability  of  'Guidelines  for  Selection  of  Technological  Partner'  to the Expression of Interests (EoIs) issued prior to their coming into force of the new guidelines.   As per this circular the cases where responses are  (i)  yet to opened, the concerned factories shall withdraw the EoIs and the same shall be processed by OFB HQ as provided in the new guidelines of March 2018 , (ii) the cases where responses have been opened would continue to be processed as per the earlier guidelines of  September 2016; however, if at any stage during the processing of these EoIs , it is decided to reissue the EOI, the same shall be done as  per  the  new  guidelines  of    March  2018.    Subsequently  OFB  in  their  Board meeting held on 31 st July 2018 decided to process all the cases , old and new as per  new  'Guidelines  for  Selection  of  Technology  Partner'  approved  by  MOD  in March 2018.

The EoI for identifying / shortlisting OEM  for collaboration in the production of small arms for civilian market was issued in 2015.   Meanwhile, in the  changed  scenario  OFB  shifted  its  focus  from  manufacturing  of  civilian weapon  to  manufacturing  weapons  for  Services  and  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs (MHA).  The proposal for selection of partner for co-production of Non-Prohibited Bore (NPB) weapons has been dropped by OFB.

In the last three years, seven global EoIs have been floated by OFB.  The status of the same is as under:-

|   Sl. No. | Item                            | Status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Air Defence Gun & Ammunition.   | Closed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|         2 | 70mm Rocket                     | Processed for closure.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|         3 | Assault Rifle 7.62mm            | -do-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|         4 | Non-Prohibited Bore Pistol(NPB) | Closed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|         5 | Mini Truck                      | Closed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|         6 | Mounted Gun System              | EOI for selection of technology partner was floated for participation in the forthcoming Request for Proposal (RFP) for 155mm Mounted Gun System to be issued by the Army HQ. MoU has been signed by OFB in August 2017 with M/s BAE Systems, USA with validity of two years from the date of signing. |
|         7 | Air Defence Gun for Indian Army | Processed for closure.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |