India has received the first shipment of 2,000 NEGEV 7.62×51 light machine guns manufactured by PLR Systems, the joint venture between Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) and India’s Adani Group.
The delivery marks the opening phase of a much larger 41,000‑unit order signed in August 2024. An additional 4,000 are scheduled to be delivered later this year.
PLR Systems announced that the first batch has successfully rolled off its production line, with 50% of the weapon produced in India. The NEGEV 7, a modernized variant of IWI’s combat‑proven light machine gun family, is being produced in India under the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
According to IWI, “the Negev 7 is one of the lightest 7.62mm LMGs in its class and offers dual firing modes for both close-quarter battle (CQB) and sustained suppressive fire, and is combat proven across diverse operational environments.”
Equipped with Picatinny rails and tritium night sights, the platform allows for superior targeting in low-light conditions, while compliance with NATO standards guarantees durability and reliable performance in harsh environments.
The company also said that the platform is also compatible with the ARBEL system, “enhancing precision and effectiveness in dynamic scenarios.” The ARBEL allows troops to engage threats, including aerial threats, using their existing weapons, optics, and ammunition-with no additional gear required.
The ARBEL can either be integrated as an external unit attached to the grip of the Negev, adding only 900 grams to the weapon. Depending on the selected firing mode, it can hit targets up to 450 meters away.
Military modernization
The delivery of the NEGEV 7 is a significant step in India’s ongoing effort to modernize its infantry small arms. The new Israeli‑designed Indian-manufactured machine gun offers improved reliability, greater lethality, and better ergonomics, giving troops a weapon tailored for both close‑quarters engagements and sustained suppressive fire. According to the company, supports helicopter, vehicle and naval mounts for versatile operations
“Delivering the first batch of these NEGEVs to India demonstrates our ability to provide cutting-edge, combat-proven solutions on a global scale,” said Shuki Schwartz, CEO of IWI and Board Member of PLR Systems. “This program combines our world-class engineering with local production under Make in India, ensuring that our most advanced technologies are deployed efficiently and reliably. It reflects our commitment to setting the standard in modern light machine guns and to supporting strategic defense partnerships worldwide.”
This latest delivery is also part of a broader pattern that has made IWI one of Indian security forces’ most trusted small‑arms partners for over two decades.
Indian special forces were among the earliest foreign adopters of IWI’s Tavor and X95 assault rifles in the mid‑2000s. The Galil sniper rifle also found a place in Indian service, and earlier variants of the NEGEV in 5.56mm were procured for counterterrorism and special operations roles.
In 2020, India purchased more than 16,000 NEGEV NG7 LMGs directly from Israel, a deal that helped bridge an urgent capability gap while PLR Systems prepared its domestic production line. The current 41,000‑unit contract represents the transition from stop-gap imports to long‑term indigenous manufacturing, a shift that both governments have championed.
In addition to the NEGEV program, PLR Systems has been awarded a contract to supply 170,000 IWI CQB carbines to India, with the first 18,000 units scheduled for delivery this year, further strengthening the ongoing defense partnerships between India and Israel.
The partnership between India and Israel has grown steadily since the 1990s, evolving from a discreet supplier‑client relationship into a strategic collaboration spanning missiles and missile defense systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare, and small‑arms production.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) highlights India as the biggest customer of Israel's defense industries. Between 2020 and 2024, India accounted for about 34% of Israel's defense exports. Figures from the Defense Ministry’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) indicate that total arms sales by Israel to India during this period amounted to about $20.5 billion.
In November, the two countries signed an MoU to expand their “defense, industrial, and technological cooperation.”
An article by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) reported that the MoU addresses joint production of military equipment and increased bilateral collaboration related to training, science, technology, and research and development (R&D), including in areas such as AI and cybersecurity.
According to a report in Forbes India, New Delhi and Jerusalem agreed to arms deals worth $8.6 billion in February– transforming the Jewish state into the Hindu country’s largest weapons supplier after France.