Night Sight For Rifles: India Steps Up Night Warfare Capability With Rs 659 Crore Contract For SIG 716
These state-of-the-art devices will give soldiers sharper situational awareness, safer movement. Image courtesy: AI-generated picture via Sora
In a major boost to infantry modernisation and defence self-reliance, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a Rs 659.47 crore contract for advanced Night Sight (Image Intensifier) devices designed for the Indian Army’s 7.62x51mm SIG 716 assault rifles. The deal, inked on Wednesday (October 15, 2025), also includes essential accessories.
Marking a significant leap in enhancing night combat capabilities, the advanced Image Intensifier sights will allow soldiers to fully utilise the extended effective range of the SIG 716 rifles, an area where existing sights have been limiting. These sights are capable of engaging targets up to an effective range of 500 metres.
Night sight for SIG 716 Assault Rifles: What does it bring to the battlefield?
Some of the capabilities that it would boost the Indian Army’s power with include a target engagement up to 500 metres, functionality in starlight conditions, improved accuracy and target acquisition, superior operational efficiency during low-light and night missions.
Compared to the older Passive Night Sights (PNS), the new systems represent a clear technological upgrade, enabling infantry units to operate with greater confidence and lethality after dark.
How would it enhance operational readiness and combat advantage?
These state-of-the-art devices will give soldiers sharper situational awareness, safer movement and engagement in darkness, ability to strike at extended ranges, better protection through early detection. With India’s increasing focus on night-dominant warfare environments, especially along high-altitude borders, this upgrade would significantly improve combat preparedness and survivability.
The procurement has been categorised as a Buy (Indian-IDDM) case, meaning over 51% indigenous content. This makes the contract a direct push toward the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India defence goals. Benefits include reduced dependence on imported optics, boost to local manufacturing and supply chains, involvement of Indian defence firms and MSMEs, promotion of innovation in electro-optics.
The deal is expected to stimulate domestic production and technology development while building long-term strategic autonomy.
Why is this considered a major step in infantry modernisation?
This contract is more than an equipment upgrade, it is a force multiplier for frontline troops, because of many reasons. The initiative supports improved combat effectiveness, self-reliant defence capability, modernisation of soldier-worn systems, strategic preparedness for night operations.
By integrating cutting-edge night vision tech with SIG 716 rifles, the Indian Army is moving closer to fully-networked, high-readiness infantry units equipped for modern combat conditions.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army had in August 2024 signed a repeat order for 73,000 SIG716 rifles from Sig Sauer of the US, the deliveries for which are expected to completed by end-2025. The Army has earlier procured and inducted 72,400 SIG-716 rifles from Sig Sauer through fast track procurement under a Rs 700 crore contract signed in February 2019.
