New Delhi: India willbegin receiving the first of 3,070 Israeli 5.56 mm Tavor 21 (TAR-21) assaultrifles for its Special Forces later this month, according to a leading Britishdefence journal.

This follows the resolution of technical and other problemswith the $20 million (Rs.880 million) deal it finalised for the weapons almostfive years ago.

Jane's Defence Weekly reports in its latest issue that theTAR-21s will have a "modified" single-piece butt and new sights, asalso Turkish 40mm M-203 under barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs) that make therifle somewhat heavier. Singapore Technologies will supply the 5.56 mmammunition.

The deal for TAR-21 and ammunition was clinched in late 2002with Israel Military Industries (IMI). After the company's bifurcation over twoyears ago, the contract was taken over by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) thatacquired control of IMI's small arms division.

Indiacontinued dealing with IMI and in 2005 invoked contractual obligations claimingdamages for the delayed deliveries, further deferring their arrival, the weeklyreported.

Quoting official sources, Jane's declared that these"glitches" had been resolved and a letter of credit for the TAR-21'sdelivery was opened late last year.

In 2005, IMI had supplied 350-400 TRA-21s without UBGL's foraround $1.5 million to India'sSpecial Frontier Force (SFF), a predominantly-military commando unit based innorthern Indiathat is primarily deployed by the country's two principal security agencies for'special' missions.

These were declared to be 'operationallyunsatisfactory"=' following problems with their foldable butt andnegotiations began with IMI - and later IWI - to effect changes and foradditions like UBGL's. All these were successfully tested in Israel last year and theconsignment cleared for delivery.

According to Jane's, even the Israeli Defence Forces hadcomplained about the TAR-21s "unsatisfactory" performance, with thedelivery of the first batch of 15,000 rifles deferred in 2003 till the requisitechanges were executed.

Meanwhile, IMI-IWI has also entered into partnership withIndia's state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to locally build under licencethe TAR-21s 9mm version - called ZTAR for use by India's Special Forces andparachute regiments. The OFB-produced ZTAR is now undergoing user trials.

IMI had also supplied around 130 Galil 7.62 sniper riles andaround 450,000 rounds of ammunition to the SFF and the army for $1.4 million in2005.

Indiacurrently has seven Special Forces battalions, which according to the army'snewly released doctrine, will be employed for specialised tasks behind enemylines, to fight insurgencies in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states.

Initial Special Forces raisings that, in effect wereconverted into parachute regiments, were trained by the Israelis inanti-insurgency operations, official sources said. US Special Forces too have beenclosely involved in exercising with these Indian units, which are also awaitingthe arrival of some 20 pieces of specialized American equipment.

In a related development, the army is on the verge ofissuing a request for proposal (RFP) to at least five local and overseascompanies for some 80,000 5.56mm light machine carbines.

This would be accompanied by the transfer of technology toeither the OFB or a private manufacturer to produce over 600,000 pieces underlicence to replace the outdated World War II Stenguns still in use with the army,paramilitary units and state police forces.