What are the Sniper Rifles used by Indian Armed Forces?

Have you ever thought what kind of Sniper rifles Indian army has? Give us a chance to update with types of sniper rifles Indian army has. As we know Indian army is well equipped with modern and sophisticated weapons. Similarly, for snipers, they use a vast variety of sniper rifles. India has deployed most of its snipers in Special Forces Units like Para SF, MARCOS, NSG and Garuds who are full time-dedicated snipers and not just marksmen.

Sources in Pakistan reveal that numerous casualties have been caused among their troops by Indian sniper teams using the Russian Dragunov sniper rifle that uses the 7.62×54-MMR cartridge.

Lying patiently in wait for targets of opportunity sometimes for hours together, camouflaged and concealed with skill, the sniper and his buddy, the spotter, are a different breed of men. Their success in operations along the LoC validates the emphasis laid in recent years by the army on marksmanship and the attention given to the training, doctrine, equipment, ethos and tactical deployment of sniper teams.

Indian Armed Forces have most of its sniping materials exported from other countries like Germany, United States, and Russia. Here are the rifles used by Indian Armed Forces for Sniping and Marksman purposes:

A. SSG-69 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle​

SSG-69 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle


Used by Central Armed Police Forces in India like BSF, CRPF, and ITBP and also by other police units.

B. PSG-1 Sniper Rifle​

PSG-1 Sniper Rifle


Used mostly by Counter-Terrorism units and SWAT units in India including Urban Warfare units like National Security Guards. Many of the units are now replacing their older PSG-1 with newer PSG1A1 Sniper Rifle.

C. Galatz Sniper Rifle​

Galatz Sniper Rifle


Galatz is the standard troop-level marksman rifle used by Indian Special Forces units ( mainly Para SF, MARCOS, Garuds, and SFF ).

D. SVD Dragunov Designated Marksman Rifle​

SVD Dragunov Designated Marksman Rifle


The standard DMR weapon in Indian Army and some other units as well like Assam Rifles. It will be soon replaced with a new .338 Lapua Magnum Sniper Rifle though it is still a favorite among Indian units due to its dead-end accuracy and reliability in harsh conditions.

E. Barrett M107​

In India, only a few units are known to use this Anti-Materiel Rifle/Sniper Rifle which includes Indian Army Special Forces, Mumbai Police QRT units, and BSF. It has got its own distinction of being one of the best precision weapons.

F. Mauser SP66​

Mauser SP66


Used by Indian Army for specialized purposes like long-range sniping.

G. NTW-20 Anti-Materiel Rifle​

NTW-20 Anti-Materiel Rifle


Used on Line of Control (India-Pakistan Border) to target enemy bunkers and military hardware and can also be used for counter-sniping in Anti-Personnel role. Its Indian derivative named ‘Vidhwansak’ is in service with BSF.

H. Barrett M98B​

Barrett M98B


Used only by select units like NSG and Para SF for specialized causes like long-range sniping.

I. 7.62mm Ishapore Sniper Rifle​

7.62mm Ishapore Sniper Rifle


It is used by CRPF, Tamil Nadu police Commandos, and Kolkata police and is an Indian-made product especially built for law enforcement agencies and police units.

J. VSK-94 Silenced Sniper Rifle​

VSK-94 Silenced Sniper Rifle


Only MARCOS has been known this tactical sniper rifle which uses a subsonic 9x39mm round to be deployed in tactical roles at short ranges given its armor-piercing capability.

Besides this , Indian Armed Forces also uses other sniper rifles like GM6 Lynx Anti-Materiel Rifle (used by Special Forces), SSG3000 (used by NSG), OSV-96 Anti-Materiel Rifle (used by Special Forces), SVD variants like SVDS and SVDK, and some other Assault Rifles/Battle Rifles modified for marksmanship purposes like INSAS and SLR Rifles fitted with Telescopic Sights and STAR-21 Sharpshooter Tavor utilized by Special Forces for precision fire with additional accuracy thanks to match grade barrel and a bipod.
 
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