22°48′11″N88°22′08″E / 22.803°N 88.369°E /22.803; 88.369
 | |
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defence |
| Founded | 1904; 121 years ago (1904) |
| Headquarters | Ichapore,India |
Key people | A. K. SINGH (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR) |
| Parent | Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (current) Ordnance Factory Board (Till 2021) |
| Website | ddpdoo.gov.in |
TheRifle Factory Ishapore (also known asIshapore Arsenal) is an Indian state-owned arms manufacturing unit located atIchapore in the state ofWest Bengal.
History
editIn 1904, a rifle factory was established by the British at Ichapore,anglicized as Ishapore, and began production of theLee–Enfield rifle, which has continued- more or less- until the mid-1980s, and possibly the present. The factory also manufactured theVickers-Berthier (VB)light machine gun, which was adopted in 1932 by theIndian Army and still remains in reserve use.[1]
Military rifles manufactured at Ishapore 1949 and pre-1949 are stamped "GRI" on the buttsocket, referring toGeorge Rex, Imperator (i.e. KingGeorge VI, last Emperor of India), whilst military rifles manufactured 1949 and post-1948 are stamped "RFI", which stands forRifle Factory, Ishapore.[citation needed]
The factory was administered by theOrdnance Factory Board of India till 2021 when it was corporatised under the ownership ofAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited.[2]
Products
editThe.303 British calibreShort Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III, the7.62×51mm NATO calibreIshapore 2A1 rifle and the 7.62mm NATOL1A1 Self-Loading Rifle were manufactured at RFI.[3]
It now manufactures the5.56mmINSAS rifle assault rifle,Kalantak rifle, Ghatak rifle (7.62×39mmAKM-style assault rifle),[4][5] 7.62 Sniper Rifles andPistol Auto 9mm 1A for military/law enforcement.
RFI makes other firearms such asIOF .22 revolver,IOF .315 sporting rifle,IOF .30-06 sporting rifle andIOF .22 sporting rifle[6] for civilian customers.
Noted employees
editReferences
edit- ^Bishop, ChrisThe Encyclopaedia of Weapons of World War II page 245 (Amber Books, London, 1998)ISBN 978-1-905704-46-0
- ^"Press Release: Press Information Bureau".pib.gov.in. Retrieved2025-02-22.
- ^https://theinterview.world/from-colonial-origins-to-indigenous-defence-manufacturing-the-evolution-of-rfi/
- ^"OFB develops new rifle for army in quick time | Nagpur News - Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2017-03-23.Archived from the original on 2018-06-19. Retrieved2018-04-15.
- ^"Rifle Factory Ishapore to display Ghatak Assault Rifle during Ordnance Factories Day celebrations | Kolkata News - Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2015-03-17.Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved2018-04-15.
- ^"Rifle factory celebrates 106 years of glory | Kolkata News - Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2009-09-27.Archived from the original on 2018-06-18. Retrieved2018-04-15.
- ^Mitra, Atanu (12 July 2016)."Amal Dutta (1930—2016): the Indian football coach whom players swore by and swore at".Scroll.in. Kolkata. Archived fromthe original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved26 November 2022.
External links
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