List of equipment of the Royal Bhutan Army

Last updated September 28, 2025

List of the military equipment used by the Royal Bhutan Army. The RBA is a mobile infantry force exceptionally armed with weapons largely supplied by India.

Small arms

Name	Caliber	Type	Origin	Notes
Pistols
Browning Hi-Power	9×19mm Parabellum	Semi-automatic pistol	Belgium	To be replaced by Glock-17 ^{[ citation needed ]}
Glock-17	9x19mm Parabellum	Semi-automatic pistol	Austria	^{[ citation needed ]}
Sub-Machine guns
Heckler & Koch MP5	9x19mm	Sub-machine gun	Germany	^[1]
Uzi	9x19mm Parabellum	Sub-machine gun	Israel	^{[ citation needed ]}
Rifles
INSAS	5.56×45mm	Assault rifle	India	1B1 Variant ^[2]^[3]
AK-74M	5.45x39mm	Assault rifle	Russia	Widely used ^[4]^[5]
AK-47	7.62x39mm	Assault rifle	Soviet Union	^[6]
MPi-KM-72	7.62x39mm	Assault rifle	East Germany	^[7]^[8]
IWI Galil ACE	5.45×39mm	Assault rifle	Israel	^[9]
SR 88	5.56x45mm	Assault rifle	Singapore	Used by Royal Body Guards. ^[10]^[11]
Close Quarters Battle Receiver	5.56x45mm	Assault rifle	United States	^{[ citation needed ]}
M4 carbine	5.56x45mm	Assault rifle	United States	^{[ citation needed ]}
M4A1	5.56x45mm	Assault rifle	United States	^{[ citation needed ]}
FN SCAR	5.56x45mm	Assault rifle	Belgium	^{[ citation needed ]}
M16A2	5.56×45mm	Assault rifle	United States	^{[ citation needed ]}
M16A4	5.56x45mm	Assault rifle	United States	^{[ citation needed ]}
L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle	7.62x51mm	Battle Rifle	United Kingdom	Training purpose, used by the police force. ^[12]
FN FAL	7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	Belgium	Training purpose, used by the police force. ^[13]^[14]
Heckler & Koch G3	7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	West Germany	Used by sentries ^[15]
Machine guns
Bren	7.62x51mm	Light Machine Gun	United Kingdom	seen mounted on vehicles ^[16]
FN Minimi	5.56x45mm	Light Machine Gun	Belgium	Limited use ^{[ citation needed ]}
FN MAG	7.62x51mm	General Purpose Machine Gun	Belgium	^{[ citation needed ]}

Armoured personnel carriers

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
BTR-60		Armored personnel carrier	Soviet Union	27		^[17]
First Win		Infantry mobility vehicle	Thailand	25		15 used for peacekeeping missions, 10 used by the Police. ^[18]^[19]

Heavy weapons

Name	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
Air defence
Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70	Anti-aircraft gun	Sweden	77	^{[ citation needed ]}
Oerlikon GDF	Anti-aircraft gun	Switzerland	54	^{[ citation needed ]}
Mortars
81 mm mortar	Mortar		(Unknown)	^{[ citation needed ]}
120mm mortar	Mortar		(Unknown)	^{[ citation needed ]}

Anti-tank weapons

Name	Type	Origin	Notes
Grenade launchers
GP-25	Grenade launcher	Soviet Union	^[20]
Rocket launchers
RPG-7	Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union	^{[ citation needed ]}
RPG-30	Rocket-propelled grenade	Russia	^{[ citation needed ]}
Recoilless rifles
Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle	Recoilless rifle	Sweden	^{[ citation needed ]}
M40 recoilless rifle	Recoilless rifle	United States	^{[ citation needed ]}

References

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[1] ttps://x.com/PMBhutan/status/1603231610815492096

[MishraReetika-2] Reetika Sharma; Ramvir Goria; Vivek Mishra (2011). India and the Dynamics of World Politics: A book on Indian Foreign Policy, Related events and International Organizations. Pearson Education India. p. 128. ISBN 978-81-317-3291-5. Archived from the original on 8 July 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.

[3] ttps://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/India/India_2.html

[4] ttps://bhutannewsnetwork.com/2016/03/rba-in-another-operation-all-clear/

[5] ttps://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=427383718857887&id=100069041625778

[6] ttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-YSTxb-zg5g_5n9o6uMvIP42wg6v-t4JCZ561W0gJSpp6XeOboZOZ2rxqiFju4c3HW1xyJBHy1aWwTsgy7K67cgGk3stUgbqIMkOwKpQhkTN0Wr2dzVX9gQdshqRk-67lWktxJ90ycll/s1600/Bhutan+female+unit.jpg

[7] ttps://www.alamy.com/royal-bhutan-army-soldiers-stand-near-the-closed-border-gate-to-india-at-samdrup-jongkhar-about-525-kilometers-328-miles-southeast-of-thimphu-capital-of-bhutan-monday-dec-31-2007-thousands-of-bhutanese-went-to-the-polls-monday-to-elect-a-national-council-the-final-stage-before-democratic-elections-that-will-end-nearly-100-years-of-absolute-monarchy-in-the-secluded-himalayan-country-ap-photoanupam-nath-image540119720.html

[8] ttps://aminoapps.com/c/warfare-roleplay/page/item/royal-bhutan-army/ZWVN_dZHXIlYQNmz7Z0zQEqrjeD18XzYg

[9] His Majesty The King with members of the contingent wearing their complete UN Peacekeeping gear. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck's Facebook page. August 29, 2022 Archived June 14, 2025, at archive.today

[10] ttps://www.gettyimages.in/detail/news-photo/the-royal-guards-of-honour-take-their-positions-at-the-news-photo/129264616?adppopup=true

[11] ttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJ38M9juhASLrbhlkb9cJlwlZe8MkY0bJ_lnqUpsZXgsUt0ChbLo84CilKrqy4bZ4cyT2QpmLmp-NFd4-E_dgdQPWrMW-nxzUJvdGX4Oamt5hfx6J_wFcTzWEBUGz2n1HJtSbBkivj_p4/s1600/Royal+Body+Guards.jpg

[12] ttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxuu_FrECTHiNWkYv8Zb-nNQ04_ABntvGUky8UE-xrYCzwzMQqOpycxO9_lqb6_w9rjKdsjYZQRdM_uvYrm5TeVKtz18J93z5pYPWKFw0n-Q9XWq34OG7JKCkiVFdqIn2sL4h9WHMl7zb/s1600/Royal+Bhutan+police+graduates.jpg

[13] ttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_d6UAX-ezHDghv6StsBbUzBqNKNpnAxEIUvHoKq7Y-kdD3TyIZ_crEzxdAiQYgBAPHmqajNnGgEnAkXJsvLnbExNlvHiP-aCGwKgZjNOZ5TjxFG0yeztll8AjR1VZFVMdrD6Jp4Gvzmx/s1600/Bhutan+Army+02.jpg

[14] ttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcZcN8MmKi8P3aQtsYJTFx2XicP4UnY_5rOByBuvnNpEzaZiBb5P0LBEUuaywtJKXIDuJL0hWdOw5agSS7fTQLttCNwZ6t4RLujcYCQ4rLkUkCgZEaw-DiwA7v5GEvdbXl1BW54UUK6T8/s1600/bhutan_army_20031229.jpg

[15] ttps://www.shutterstock.com/search/bhutan-army

[16] ttps://www.facebook.com/unpeacekeeping/posts/did-you-know-bhutan-is-the-first-member-state-to-ever-sign-a-rapid-deployment-le/10155042867466003/

[17] "The Bhutanese army has 10,000 people, including 7,000 from the King's Army, 2,000 from the King's Guards, and 1,000 from the armed police. There are also almost 40,000 to 60,000 reserves and militia, all of which are provided with training and weapons by India, including heavy we - military". daydaynews.cc. 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2025-09-25.

[18] "ภาพการทดสอบ First Win 4×4 จำนวน 15 คันของภูฎาน ลูกค้าต่างชาติรายที่ 3". www.thaiarmedforce.com. Retrieved 19 November 2021.

[19] ttps://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40038353

[20] ttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisb8iIjTLM9aDSkd0ETD_z3uMZHV4GWLV_y6kjgNJWK7kRXKgkG0fhFNpAuIg-RuNgoL3Iw8WkKBac7jqqguvEFke7aA6JmBphBqspKnDKEtOrbXvSKBOwFiQD62k7jfxrfqHucWkP5ol/s1600/Bhutan+soldier.jpg

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