BANGALORE: In line with the Government of India’s vision for an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Italian firearms manufacturing major Beretta Italy have at Aero India 2021 announced an MoU for indigenous manufacture of Close Quarter Carbine Weapons (CQB Carbines) and other Small Arms, required by Defence and other Non-Defence customers. Mrs. Anandi Ramalingam, Director (Marketing), BEL, and Mr. Carlo Ferlito, General Manager, Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A., and VP Beretta Defence Technologies, signed the MoU documents on behalf of BEL and Beretta Italy.

Beretta's ARX-160 is reputed to be one of the best carbines in the world

BEL is a multi-product, multi-technology, multi-Unit conglomerate having products in the areas of Radars, Missile Systems, Military Communications, Naval Systems, Electronic Warfare & Avionics, C4I Systems, Electro-Optics, Tank Electronics & Gun/Weapon System Upgrades and Electronic Fuzes in the Defence segment. BEL’s non-Defence business segment includes areas such as Electronic Voting Machines, Homeland Security & Smart Cities, Solar, Satellite Integration & Space Electronics, Railways, AI, Cyber Security, Software as a Service, Energy Storage Products, besides Composite Shelters & Masts. 

Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta (Beretta Italy) is one of the most renowned names in the Defence and Law Enforcement sectors. Producing the widest range of small firearms in the world from the most state-of-the-art facilities in the industry, the oldest firearms factory (officially documented since 1526) has been passed down through 15 generations of the Beretta family and now exports to over 100 countries.

Beretta Italy is part of the BDT alliance. Beretta Defence Technologies (BDT) is the strategic alliance of four Beretta Holding Defence companies: Beretta, Benelli, Sako and Steiner. These founding companies of BDT produce some of the finest weaponry and equipment in their markets. Masters of excellence and new world thinkers, these companies have focused their combined technical prowess to become a single source contact to supply governments and agencies with the vital tools that fully address the requirements of modern combat and policing.