Indian Army Day is a moment to reflect not only on the service’s proud traditions but also on the quiet, continuous transformation that ensures readiness for the conflicts of tomorrow. As warfare evolves – becoming faster, more distributed, and increasingly technology-driven – the Indian Army’s modernisation journey is defined by one central principle: empowering the soldier at the point of contact with reliable, adaptable and sustainable capabilities.
Modernisation is not simply about acquiring new platforms or advanced systems. It is about integrating technology in a way that aligns with operational realities, strengthens indigenous capability and delivers measurable impact across India’s diverse theaters of operation. In this context, optics and sighting systems – often overlooked – play a decisive role in shaping battlefield outcomes by directly affecting accuracy, situation awareness, endurance and survivability.
For many years, Meprolight has maintained a sustained and active presence in the Indian market, supplying advanced sighting and targeting solutions to the Indian Armed Forces and homeland security organisations. Our combat-proven systems are deployed across multiple units and operational environments, supporting a wide range of mission profiles. This long-standing engagement reflects a shared understanding: modernisation succeeds only when technology is proven, adaptable and trusted by the soldier who depends on it in combat.
Modernisation is not simply about acquiring new platforms or advanced systems. It is about integrating technology in a way that aligns with operational realities, strengthens indigenous capability and delivers measurable impact across India’s diverse theaters of operation
One example of this philosophy is the MOR Multi-Operational Reflex Sight, a system that has been supplied in significant quantities and operationally deployed for more than a decade. The MOR is unique worldwide for integrating a passive reflex sight with two laser aiming devices – one visible and one infrared – into a single compact, ruggedised unit. Designed for demanding combat conditions, it exemplified how thoughtful integration can reduce equipment burden while expanding operational flexibility.
Crucially, the MOR reflects a core requirement of future warfare: resilience in the face of degradation. Even after complete battery depletion, its passive reflex sight remains fully operational for many years through fiber-optic illumination. This ensures uninterrupted functionality in remote contested environments where logistics and power resupply cannot be guaranteed, an operational reality increasingly relevant to India’s security landscape.
India’s modernisation drive also emphasises self-reliance and industrial resilience. In line with the “Make in India” initiative, Meprolight transferred comprehensive technical, manufacturing and production know-how to RRP in Mumbai approximately two years ago. This transfer enabled local assembly, manufacturing, integration, testing, maintenance and long-term sustainment of systems within India. Beyond supply continuity, this approach strengthens indigenous capability, enhances responsiveness, and embeds advanced know-how within the domestic defence ecosystem.
Technology absorption, however, is only effective when systems are adapted to India’s unique operational conditions. Few countries present such a broad spectrum of environments – from extreme heat and high humidity to monsoon rainfall, desert dust and mountainous terrain. Meprolight’s solutions are ruggedised and qualified to ensure reliable performance across these conditions, complying fully with the stringent military standards, including MIL-STD-810 and the demanding Indian military standard JS5S-55551.
The MOR is unique worldwide for integrating a passive reflex sight with two laser aiming devices – one visible and one infrared – into a single compact, ruggedised unit. Designed for demanding combat conditions, it exemplified how thoughtful integration can reduce equipment burden while expanding operational flexibility
India’s security architecture also encompasses a wide range of military and homeland security forces, each with distinct missions, doctrines and training levels. Addressing this diversity requires continuous evaluation and adaptation. Meprolight invests in configuring and upgrading systems – ranging from reflex sights and laser aiming systems to thermal solutions and variable-power optics – to meet specific operational needs rather than imposing uniform solutions on diverse users.
As operational reach expands and forces operate for longer durations in forward areas, energy efficiency and endurance become decisive. Reducing reliance on batteries and minimising logistical burden directly enhances operational freedom. In addition to the MOR, Meprolight’s 40 mm grenade launcher sight demonstrates this principle. Weighing just 250 grams and operating entirely on fiber-optic technology, it requires no battery. It supports engagement ranges from 50 to 400 metres, enabling effective day and night operation with minimal sustainment demands.
Where batteries are required, endurance remains paramount. The O2 red-dot reflex sight delivers approximately 20,000 hours of operation through advanced LED technology and an intelligent automatic shut-off mechanism, ensuring readiness while optimising power consumption under harsh operational conditions.
Meprolight invests in configuring and upgrading systems – ranging from reflex sights and laser aiming systems to thermal solutions and variable-power optics – to meet specific operational needs rather than imposing uniform solutions on diverse users
Modern warfare also places increasing cognitive demands on the soldier. Human factors engineering is therefore central to effective modernisation. Traditional configurations often require soldiers to carry and swap separate day and night sights, adding weight, complexity and transition time. Meprolight addressed this challenge through the TIGON hybrid sight, which integrates a red-dot reflex sight and a thermal imaging channel into a single lightweight system. Seamless transitions between day and night modes – without re-zeroing – enhance situational awareness, reduce physical and cognitive load and improve combat effectiveness.
Flexibility across engagement ranges is another defining requirement. Rather than fielding multiple optics for different roles, the MVO family of variable-power optics provides continuous magnification from 1x to 8x in a single system. This multi-role capability simplifies logistics, reduces training complexity and enables soldiers to adapt instantly to changing engagement distances – an essential advantage in dynamic combat environments.
Transformation does not end at delivery. Long-term readiness depends on service, maintenance and sustainment. Through close cooperation with RRP, Meprolight delivers comprehensive Level A and Level B maintenance and lifecycle support in India, ensuring high availability, rapid response times, and reduced downtime while maintaining uncompromising military-grade standards throughout the product lifecycle.
Transformation does not end at delivery. Long-term readiness depends on service, maintenance and sustainment. Through close cooperation with RRP, Meprolight delivers comprehensive Level A and Level B maintenance and lifecycle support in India, ensuring high availability, rapid response times, and reduced downtime while maintaining uncompromising military-grade standards throughout the product lifecycle
From tradition to transformation, the Indian Army’s modernisation journey is ultimately about empowering the soldier – technologically, operationally and sustainably. By combining combat-proven systems, local production, energy-efficient design, human-centric engineering, and lifecycle support, modernisation becomes not an abstract objective, but a practical force multiplier on the battlefield. As the Army prepares for the challenges of future warfare, such integrated approaches will remain central to operational success.
The writer is a senior vice president at Meprolight, a global leader in cutting-edge electro-optical and optical sights, thermal imaging and self-illuminated systems that enhance mission effectiveness in any environment. With more than 39 million products sold worldwide, Meprolight offers a comprehensive portfolio that includes magnified optics, rifle optics, pistol optics, laser pointers, night vision, thermal imaging devices, and self-illuminated tritium-based sights – each tailored for both day and night operations.
