CARACAL, a UAE-based small arms manufacturer within EDGE Group, and India’s ICOMM Tele Ltd (a Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd company) have jointly inaugurated a state-of-the-art small arms manufacturing facility at ICOMM’s Integrated Engineering Facility in Hyderabad.
This exclusive facility, launched under a historic technology transfer (ToT) agreement, will serve as a domestic production hub for CARACAL’s portfolio of modern weapons—marking the first-ever UAE-to-India small arms technology transfer. The launch aligns with India’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiatives.
The weapons to be produced locally include:
- CAR 816 close-quarters battle rifle (5.56×45mm NATO)
- CAR 817 assault rifle (7.62×51mm NATO)
- CSR 338 bolt-action sniper rifle (.338 Lapua Magnum)
- CSR 308 bolt-action sniper rifle (.308 Winchester)
- CSR 50 anti-materiel sniper rifle (12.7×99mm NATO)
- CMP9 submachine gun (9×19mm)
- CARACAL EF & CARACAL F GEN II pistols (9×19mm)
These systems are intended for the Indian Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Special Forces, state police units, and the Special Protection Group (SPG), and are also available for export under CARACAL’s international programs.
Sumanth Paturu, Managing Director of ICOMM, stated:
“This facility stands as a testament to our commitment to India’s defense forces and our belief in Prime Minister Modi’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. With CARACAL, we’re not just making in India—we’re making for India and for the world.”
Hamad Alameri, CEO of CARACAL, added:
“This marks a milestone in our support for India’s defense ecosystem. With successful evaluations by Indian Special Forces units and solid progress in trials, we are proud to reinforce our partnership through localized production.”
The facility strengthens both domestic and export-oriented defense manufacturing capabilities and positions India as a trusted global hub for high-quality weapons systems.