NEW DELHI – The Indian defence ministry on Tuesday cleared a proposal tobuy 7.40 lakh assault rifles at a cost of Rs 12,280 crore for the threeservices, officials said.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)presided over by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The defence ministry will also procure light machine guns worth Rs 1,819crore, they said.

In other decisions, a proposal for purchase of 5,719 sniper rifles for thearmy at a cost of Rs 982 crore was also approved.