In a significant move to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of its infantry weapons, the Indian Army has chosen the MEPRO X6 telescopic sight from Israeli company Meprolight for its NEGEV light machine guns.
What is the MEPRO X6?
The MEPRO X6 is a fixed 6x magnification daytime telescopic sight. It is designed for use on assault rifles, light machine guns (like the NEGEV), and other weapons that need a strong balance of precision, durability, and high optical performance.
Key benefits:
- Helps soldiers identify and engage targets more accurately at longer ranges (effective up to around 1,000 metres).
- Rugged and reliable, suitable for tough field conditions.
This upgrade improves the NEGEV machine guns’ daytime firing capability, which is being inducted in large numbers as part of the Army’s infantry modernization.
Make in India Focus
To promote local manufacturing under the Make in India initiative, Meprolight has signed a comprehensive Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement with Indian company RRP Defense.
- RRP Defense will manufacture the MEPRO X6 sights entirely in India.
- These locally-made sights will be supplied to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
- BEL will act as the prime contractor and deliver the sights to the Indian Army.
This arrangement ensures technology transfer, job creation in India, and greater self-reliance in defense optics production. BEL had won the Army’s tender with a solution based on the MEPRO X6.
Background
The selection came after extensive trials, including operational and environmental tests, over several years. The Indian Army evaluated multiple options before clearing the Israeli-origin sight for induction.
This deal highlights India’s strategy of combining proven foreign technology with local production to quickly modernize its forces while building domestic capabilities.