Colombia develops its first combat rifle after cutting military ties with Israel: Video
Colombia has commenced the manufacture of its first domestically produced combat rifles, aiming to replace the Israeli-made Galil rifles that have been in service since the 1980s.
This development follows the severing of diplomatic ties with Israel in 2024, its former military supplier.
Footage from the General Factory Jose Maria Cordova (Fagecor) in Bogota shows workers at the state-owned Military Industry (Indumil) designing and producing rifle prototypes and 3D models. The initiative, which has been in development for roughly five years, follows specifications provided by the Colombian Armed Forces, including barrel lengths, ambidextrous systems, fixed sights, and folding or extendable stocks.
Alejandro Bohorquez, professor of International Relations at Universidad Externado de Colombia, highlighted the symbolic dimension of the move: “In Israel's case, this aligns closely with the current campaign discrediting Israel over its recent actions against the Palestinian population. Clearly, for Israel, the concern—beyond losing a decades-long business—doesn’t go much further. It’s more of a commercial issue. Colombia wasn’t even a main partner in the arms trade with these states. So, it’s more like a symbolic protest over Israel and Palestine’s recent actions.”
Indumil’s Engineering and Development Director, Alfonso Palacios Chavarriaga, explained that the next step involves completing the second design phase and producing ten prototypes, which will be tested to ensure they meet technical standards. The final phase will see mass production, with the rifles intended to fully replace the Galil in service with Colombia’s Armed Forces.
The initiative also reflects Colombia’s broader push for defence autonomy. President Gustavo Petro’s government has recently halted arms purchases from both Israel and the United States, underscoring a commitment to building a self-reliant military and reinforcing national sovereignty in defence procurement.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
