‘BrahMos chhota bhai' Sher AK-203 rifle to go fully desi by year-end: Indo-Russian Rifles CEO
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50% indigenisation completed
AK-203 to replace INSAS rifles
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Early delivery target
Each rifle tested through 120 hands
From imports to local manufacturing
Plans for exports and expansion
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Short-range missile tests also successful
India's standard-issue AK-203 assault rifle will be completely indigenous by the end of 2025, according to Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) CEO and Managing Director Major General SK Sharma . The rifle is currently being produced at IRRPL's Korwa facility in Uttar Pradesh under a ₹5,200 crore deal signed under the 'Make in India' initiative, a TOI report stated.Sharma said 50% of the rifle's components have already been localised. 'Fifty percent indigenisation has been completed so far. This will reach 100% by the end of the year,' he said in an interview with TOI. According to him, the production rate will increase once full indigenisation is achieved, reducing delays caused by overseas testing and validation. 'All testing is now indigenised. Earlier, parts had to be sent to Russia for validation,' he added.At full capacity, the Korwa factory is expected to produce up to 600 rifles per day, roughly one every 100 seconds. 'Every material now has an alternate source in India,' Sharma said.The AK-203 is a fifth-generation version of the AK-47, combining the reliability of the original platform with modern upgrades. The Indian Army plans to use it as a frontline weapon, replacing the older INSAS rifles. It will be deployed in operational zones including the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control.The rifles are being assembled in India through a joint venture between Russian firms Rosoboronexport and Kalashnikov Concern and Indian firms AWEIL and MIL. The venture was formed in 2019 under an intergovernmental agreement. India holds a 50.5% stake while Russia holds 49.5%.While the original delivery deadline was set for October 2032, IRRPL now plans to complete the delivery of over 6 lakh rifles by December 2030. 'We have received an order of more than 6 lakh rifles from the Indian forces. So far, we have provided them with 48,000 rifles. By the end of this year, we will deliver a total of 70,000 rifles,' Sharma said.'Another 7,000 rifles will be handed over in the next two to three weeks and 15,000 more by December this year,' he added. From 2026, the facility is expected to produce 12,000 rifles per month.The AK-203, known as 'Sher' in India, contains 50 components and 180 sub-parts. It is designed to fire up to 15,000 rounds. Sharma said each rifle 'goes through 120 hands' as part of quality checks. So far, 60 critical components have been indigenised, and Indian vendors are supplying parts for final assembly.IRRPL currently employs over 260 staff and aims to increase the workforce to 537, with 90% local hires. Permanent Russian experts are also stationed at the Korwa facility.Before the Korwa facility became operational, India had imported 70,000 AK-203 rifles to meet urgent needs. It had also bought 147,000 SIG Sauer 716 rifles from the United States for immediate operational deployment.Sharma noted the slow start in delivery was due to the indigenisation process. 'Then our rate of production will also increase, and we are planning to deliver all the rifles by the end of 2030, which is two years early as per the contract,' he said.IRRPL may expand its product line beyond the AK-203. 'Yes, we are expecting to expand. There are efforts in that direction. The intergovernmental agreement was very clear that this company will also produce other parts of the Kalashnikov Concern and AK-203 is just the entry product,' Sharma said.The company is also preparing for its first international export order and is targeting friendly countries. 'Nothing will affect the vendors irrespective of embargoes,' he said.Sharma described the project as the 'younger brother of BrahMos' and an example of India-Russia defence cooperation. 'Russia has always been there when we needed them. Every Indian Army officer can swear by the fact that once in their lifetime they've used Russian military products and they're very reliable,' he said.He added that IRRPL aims to be among the top five small arms manufacturers in the world by 2032. 'IRRPL is a niche project and it is important, with immense opportunities,' he said.Separately, India conducted successful flight tests of two short-range ballistic missiles—Prithvi-II and Agni-I—from the Chandipur range in Odisha. The Ministry of Defence said the tests were conducted under the Strategic Forces Command and confirmed that 'all operational and technical parameters' were validated.(With inputs from TOI)
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