DRDO develops corner-shot rifle for counter-insurgency

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a corner-shot rifle for the special forces that provides greater safety during counter-insurgency operations as its user is not in the direct line of fire, a top official has said.

DRDO chief Avinash Chander told India Strategic defence magazine that the lightweight rifle is made of composite materials and is multi-calibre, capable of firing both 5.56 and 7.62 rounds. It is at present undergoing final tests at its small arms unit in Pune.

Once the evaluation trials are over, the rifle design would be offered to a public or private sector industry for manufacture as per the government's decision, and then made available to special forces like the National Security Guard (NSG), Indian Army and police units.

The corner shot rifle, which enables a soldier to fire at 90 degrees or at an angle from behind a wall without facing a terrorist or a target, was first developed in Israel. India is reported to have bought some rifles for anti-terror operations.

Chander said that the rifle is of simple design and would be easy to manufacture.

'Cyber security biggest challenge'

Terming cyber security a "biggest security challenge", DRDO chief Avinash Chander Friday said there was need of a new purchase process to get the country system that could not be "subverted".

Talking to reporters at Defexpo 2014 here, Chander said that leakage of information could take place in a subverted system, adding that there was need to get exposure to the internal processes when acquiring a new system.

"Today cyber security is our biggest security challenge.... This requires new paradigm in purchase processes. When we buy, we must buy with security in mind," Chander said.

Earlier, Chander said at a press conference that the Defence Research and Development Organisation has launched a major programme for developing cyber technology tools and a lot of work was being done in that direction.

He said real cyber security could be ensured by taking adequate safety measures from the time software is developed.

"If real security (is to be ensured), answer lies (in getting involved) from the design stage," he said, and added that it was difficult to do so in systems that were procured from outside the country.

"Wherever equipment is being bought (from outside the country), you have no control," he said.

Chander, who is also scientific advisor to Defence Minister A. K. Antony, said getting in the process of development of a system at early stage will help build cocoons around it for protection.

He indicated that many agencies working outside the defence sector take their own decisions concerning foreign purchases of equipment and there was need for guidelines.

Answering a query on the possibility of hacking of defence systems acquired from abroad, Chander said: "We have to see what can be done. We have to ensure that core (system) is protected."

(By: IANS)