While researching the Indian small arms procurement program and reading the news from the DefExpo 2022 exhibition, I came across quite an interesting Indian rifle called INDRA (name of a Hindu deity) made by Astr Defence, a private small arms manufacturing company from Hubballi, Karnataka, India. INDRA is a gas-operated multi-caliber modular rifle that apparently has been in development for several years. Let’s take a closer look.

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Here is the description of the INDRA rifle from the Astr Defence’s website:

Indra is a Modular Assault Rifle Family available in different calibers and configuration.

The indigenously Designed, Developed and manufactured Selective Fire Rifle comes in 6 Calibers and 5 configurations with more than 75% parts commonality. Indra assault rifle family combines proven operating principles that have  been used in military weapons for many decades and innovative features that make the weapon modular, light weight, ergonomic, compact, accurate and highly reliable in most difficult operating conditions.

Reportedly, some of the caliber options that the INDRA rifle is offered chambered in include the 7.62x51mm, 7.62x39mm, and 5.56x45mm, and it can be configured to be an assault or battle rifle with different barrel lengths, as well as an LMG and DMR. The Astr Defence INDRA rifle features an adjustable side folding stock, ambidextrous safety selector, full-length top Picatinny rail, adjustable gas system and non-reciprocating reversible front charging handle. The rifle has a paddle-style magazine release and the magazine shown in the pictures looks to be the company’s design as well.

If the INDRA rifle meets the Indian military’s quality and endurance requirements and if the company can produce it in the needed quantities, I think it is quite a good candidate for India’s next standard-issue rifle because it’s designed and made in India hence it perfectly fits the Indian Government’s “Make In India” initiative and thanks to its modular design, it can be easily adjusted to the different caliber and configuration requirements of the ongoing Indian military rifle procurement program.

Besides the INDRA rifle, Astr Defence also makes a family of semi-auto pistols called ATAL and small arms optics.

Pictures by Astr Defence, www.astrdefence.com