India completes user trials of protective carbine

India has completed the final phase of user trials of the locally developed 5.56×30mm protective carbine.

In a statement, the Indian Ministry of Defence said that the Joint Venture Protective Carbine (JVPC) has met all GSQR parameters, clearing the way for the weapon’s induction into the services.

The last leg of trials involved testing the firearm’s effectiveness in adverse temperature conditions in summer and high altitudes in winter.

The JVPC is said to have met the necessary reliability and accuracy criteria and underwent Directorate General Quality Assurance (DGQA) quality trials.

The JVPC is designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune in accordance with Indian Army’s GSQR.

The gas-operated semi bull-pup automatic weapon is capable of firing 700 rounds per minute (rpm).

The carbine weighs around 3kg and has an effective range of more than 100m.

Its key features include high reliability, low recoil, retractable butt, ergonomic design, single hand firing capability and multiple Picatinny rails, according to the statement.

The weapon will be particularly used for counter insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

It has already qualified in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) trials and is expected to be inducted by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and various state police organisations.

The locally developed carbine system completed trials at a time when the deal of buying such short-barrel firearms from the UAE based company Caracal had been put on hold.

In September, the company reportedly approached with the proposal of manufacturing the carbines in India.