India, Oct. 22 -- The government has signed a Rs.2,770-crore deal with two private firms to equip soldiers with 4.25 lakh modern close-quarter battle carbines, replacing the existing decades-old sub machine guns based on a 1940s design, director general infantry Lieutenant General Ajay Kumar said on Wednesday.

The army has completed the raising of 380 new specialist drone platoons called Ashni. It is on course to deploy 25 Bhairav light commando battalions over the next six months and the purchase of US-made Javelin anti-tank weapon is underway through the emergency procurement route, Kumar said at a media briefing ahead of Infantry Day or Shaurya Diwas on October 27, enumerating steps being taken to modernise the infantry.

"The infantr...