Bijapur encounter: CRPF's 5 deadly 'modern' weapons giving hell to Naxals in Chhattisgarh

The Bijapur encounter in which at least 30 Naxalites were killed by security forces is the latest operation in India's offensive push against Left Wing Extremism (LWE). Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently said in an interview that the country will be liberated from the Naxal threat by March 2026. 

The security personnel fighting the Naxals in the jungles of Chhattisgarh now enjoy a clear upper hand over the guerilla militants due to a superior armoury. Drones, night vision equipment, helicopters and modern weapons have helped them outgun the enemies. Gone are the days when CRPF men feared ambush and landmines  in the so-called "red corridor" of India. 

The establishment of forward operating bases and the deployment of mine-sweeping technology and explosion-withstanding vehicles have evidently given security forces the upper hand. Former Naxals who decided to put down their weapons are recruited into CRPF's CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) -- another strategy that proved effective in the battle as their familiarity with the terrain and inputs to intelligence gathering often corner the LWE groups.

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Here are five weapons that India equipped its security forces in Chhattisgarh with to counter the Naxal militias

Joint Venture Protective Carbine (JVPC) SMGs

An indigenously developed submachine gun, JVPCs come with visible and invisible laser designators, silencers and bayonets. A proven beast for close-range assaults, it was designed based on a unique 5.56 x 30mm calibre to replace outdated 9mm submachine guns being used by Indian forces. Its polymer construction ensured a reduced weight (2.98 kg) and a high rate of fire. 

Designed by DRDO's Armament Research and Development Establishment and manufactured by Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), JVPC offers a range of 200m. "The Unique design features include retractable butt, integral grip outer housing the 30 round magazines & a modular trigger mechanism and Picatinny rail," DRDO said on its website. 

Carl-Gustaf 84 mm recoilless 

The Swedish-made, man-portable, recoilless rifle was introduced in the Indian Army as an anti-tank weapon in 1976. It remains the go-to weapon for the country's infantry units. It can be fired from the shoulder or from a vehicle and can fire high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shells, illuminating and smoke ammunition rounds.

Its manufactures Saab AB has begun work on the first fully foreign-owned defence production facility in India. THE WEEK had earlier reported that the latest M4 designs with upgraded sighting technology and advanced carbon fibre winding are being made in India. 

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The battle against Naxals doesn't require Carl-Gustaf anti-tank HEAT rounds. Rather, it is the high-explosive rounds (1,000m range) that are handy for the CoBRA units in the jungle warfare along with smoke rounds and guided ammunition. While two men are needed to operate the portable models, the shelf life of its ammunition is 10 years, according to the Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination and Services) website.

81mm mortars

A lightweight indirect fire weapon, the highlight of this medium-weight mortar is its easy deployment and disengagement features. It is easy to disengage them in order to be moved to new fire positions, the British Army claimed on their official website. 81mm is capable of providing accurate high explosive, smoke and illuminating rounds out to a maximum range of 5600m. Equipment stability is guaranteed in all ground conditions due to a rotating socket.

The equipment weighs 135 kg including all accessories like boxes transit for barrel and baseplate while the mortal shell alone is 4.7 kg heavy.  It can fire six to eight rounds per minute with relaying mortal while it can send up to 20 rounds otherwise. 

IWI Tavor assault rifle

The brainchild of Israel Weapons Industry (IWI), a former Israeli government firm that was privatised in 2005, the Tavor assault rifles are a mainstay in the arsenal of India's paramilitary forces. With a max range of 550m, it can fire 750 to 950 rounds per minute. 

According to reports, it is the X95 variant of the bullpup-type gun that is being used by the CoBRA units in Chhattisgarh. Ejection ports on both sides make the gun ambidextrous and Tavor variants are chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO rounds. Under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, Tavor X 95 rifles have been manufactured domestically since 2021.

Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL)

The Bulgarian-made AK series assault rifles being used by CoBRA commandos are now equipped with under-barrel grenade launchers. DRDO's 40mm UBGLs can launch the grenade when a soldier is holding the Kalashnikov on his shoulder as recoil energy is conducive to firing from the shoulder. Its breech loading enables easy loading and unloading of ammunition while pump action ensures a fired cartridges are easily unloaded. The UBGLs can hit a target anywhere between 28m to 400m.

UBGL is designed and developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, and manufactured at Ordnance Factory, Trichy.