The F-INSAS system was handed over to the Indian Army by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande and Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Harpal Singh.
F-INSAS stands for Future Infantry Soldier As a System. F-INSAS is India’s programme to equip infantrymen with state-of-the-art equipment and gear.
The programme has two components, one is to arm the soldier with the best available assault rifle or carbine and protective gear like helmets and bulletproof vests and the second component is the Battle Field Management Systems (BMS)
This programme was adopted and executed to equip Indian infantry with advanced weaponry, communication network and instant access to information on the battlefield.
The current iteration of the system includes the new combat uniform, the AK-203 assault rifle. This rifle is going to be manufactured in a joint venture between Russia and India in Amethi. The F-INSAS includes the Advance Combat Helmet by MKU, Arjun Night Vision Goggles, BEL holographic sight, 360-degree protection vest and a pair of ballistic goggles.
The F-INSAS is going to be integrated with an exoskeleton and be able to operate various other systems like swarm drones.