[16][10] Originally, three variants were planned in the INSAS system, a rifle, a carbine and a squad automatic weapon (SAW) or Light machine gun (LMG).

[1] The introduction of the rifle was delayed due to the lack of adequate 5.56×45mm ammunition, large quantities of the same were bought from Israel Military Industries.

[1][14] The INSAS rifle saw limited use in the Indian Army's counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir,[17] but was extensively used by Central Armed Police Forces in combating Maoist insurgency.

[14] The fire selector is placed on the left side of the receiver above the pistol grip, it can be set to semi–auto, three round burst and full auto.

To set it to safe, the selector has to be rotated all the way up, which will block the sear and prevent the rifle from firing.

[14] In 2023, it was reported that Star Aerospace has offered parts for modernizing INSAS rifles, which are approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

[23] Among the upgrades included by SA consist of picatinny rails for sights and attachments, folding stock and rubber fore and pistol grips.

The three month long war was fought in the high altitudes of the Himalayas,[25] where temperature would go as low as –20 degrees Celsius.

[26] During the conflict, the rifle encountered some problems such as occasional often serious stoppage, cracking of polymer magazine due to the cold weather and some other reliability issues such as firing in full auto when set for 3 shot burst.

[34] The Kalantak micro-assault rifle, with a range of 300 m, is for close combat and personnel defence weapon roles.

[35] Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Bansod, of Army School Mhow reverse-engineered an INSAS rifle to produce a bullpup carbine variant.

[36] Lt. Col. Bansod caught the attention of high-ranking Indian Army officers when he made the rifle in 2019.