
‘BrahMos chhota bhai' Sher AK-203 rifle to go fully desi by year-end: Indo-Russian Rifles CEO
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
50% indigenisation completed
AK-203 to replace INSAS rifles
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Early delivery target
Each rifle tested through 120 hands
From imports to local manufacturing
Plans for exports and expansion
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
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)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
India-UK free trade deal opens UK shelves to feni from Goa, Nashik's wines, and Kerala's toddy
India's new free trade agreement with the UK is set to give a global push to its homegrown flavours — from Goa's fiery feni and Nashik's artisanal wines to Kerala's traditional toddy. These iconic beverages will soon enjoy Geographical Indication (GI) protection and duty-free access in the UK, opening doors to premium retail shelves and hospitality chains. Signed on Thursday, in the FTA signed by India, has protected the interest of domestic farmers by excluding dairy products, edible oils, and apples from the free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK, while securing zero duties on 95 per cent of agriculture and processed food items. No tariff concession has been allowed on oats either. On the other hand, Indian staples like turmeric, pepper, cardamom; processed goods like mango pulp, pickles, and pulses; and marine products such as shrimp and tuna will enjoy duty-free access in the UK market, boosting India's agri exports by 20 per cent over the next three years. As per a report by PTI, a commerce ministry official said the biggest wins are in the food processing sector, where products that earlier faced duties up to 70 per cent will now face zero duty on 99.7 per cent of tariff lines. In marine and animal products, tariffs that were previously up to 20 per cent will also drop to zero. 'India's farmers are poised to be the biggest winners of the FTA, which unlocks premium UK markets for their produce, matching or exceeding the benefits already enjoyed by exporters from Germany, the Netherlands, and other EU nations,' the official said, PTI quoted. More than 95 per cent of agricultural and processed food tariff lines will now attract zero duties on fruits, vegetables, cereals; pickles, spice mixes, fruit pulps; and ready-to-eat meals and processed foods. This reduction is expected to bring down landed costs in the UK, making Indian products more competitive and boosting exports. 'Duty-free access is expected to increase agri exports by over 20 per cent in the next three years, contributing to India's goal of USD 100 billion in agri-exports by 2030,' the official added. Emerging products such as jackfruit, millets, and organic herbs are also expected to benefit, helping Indian farmers tap into new consumer trends in the UK. Currently, the UK imports agricultural goods worth USD 37.52 billion annually, but Indian exports account for just USD 811 million — indicating vast potential for growth. Marine and blue economy products will also gain a major edge. The FTA provides for zero-duty access for 99 per cent of India's marine exports — including shrimp, tuna, fishmeal, and feeds — which currently face duties in the range of 4.2 to 8.5 per cent. 'Despite the UK's USD 5.4 billion marine import market, India's share is just 2.25 per cent — showing a huge untapped opportunity,' the commerce ministry official noted. The FTA is also expected to help boost exports of high-margin branded products like Indian coffee, tea, spices, and processed food. While the UK currently consumes only 1.7 per cent of India's coffee, the removal of tariffs (up to 10 per cent earlier) will allow Indian instant coffee to better compete with EU brands. The UK is also a significant buyer of Indian tea (5.6 per cent share), and spices (2.9 per cent). Zero duties on these items will help India expand its footprint in the UK's high-value retail market. In addition to the iconic beverages, other processed food exports are set to benefit too. India currently exports processed agriculture and food items worth USD 14.07 billion globally, but exports to the UK stand at a modest USD 309.5 million. The UK's overall import value of processed food is USD 50.68 billion, offering plenty of headroom. In the vegetable oils and plant-based segment, the FTA will eliminate tariffs that earlier went up to 20 per cent. This will support exporters of edible oils, oilseed derivatives, and other plant-based commodities. States such as Maharashtra (grapes, onions), Gujarat (groundnut, cotton), Punjab and Haryana (basmati rice), Kerala (spices), and the northeastern states (horticulture) are expected to gain significantly. Tea and coffee, which earlier attracted duties of up to 10 per cent, will now enjoy duty-free access. Spices and oilseeds, which faced up to 8 per cent tariffs, and fruits (up to 20 per cent), will also be exempt from duties. With these sweeping changes, the India-UK FTA promises to not only give Indian farmers greater market access and better returns, but also put India's regional specialities and cultural exports on global shelves — from local wines to legacy spirits and organic spices.


Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Govt will not tolerate violence in the name of language dispute: CM
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said violence in the name of language dispute will not be tolerated and dealt firmly. 'There is no dispute between Hindi and Marathi. While one should be proud of Marathi, which is not only the mother tongue of Marathi people but also a classical language, one cannot ignore other Indian languages,' said Fadnavis during a speech at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Special Centre for Security and Strategic Studies, planned under the School of International Studies which aims to explore war strategy and traditions based on the Maratha empire. The centre is going to become the study centre of military history, strategy and future policy development rooted in India's past. Shortly after his arrival, the Student Federation of India (SFI) protested over the Maharashtra Special Security Bill and growing instances of attack against non-Marathi residents (North Indians and others) in several parts of the state and failure of the government to deal with it effectively. In response to the protest, Chief Minister Fadnavis said, 'There is nothing wrong in insisting on Marathi language in Maharashtra. At the same time, there should be no disregard for other Indian languages. Violence of any kind in the name of language dispute cannot be tolerated. Wherever such instances occurred, strong action has been taken. And if it reoccurs, it will be firmly dealt with.' 'Marathi is a culturally rich language that was accorded the status of a 'classical language' by the Narendra Modi government. There is nothing wrong with having pride in Marathi language. The issue here is not about Marathi vs Hindi. What needs to be understood is that along with Marathi, one should also respect other Indian languages. As someone just mentioned, Tamil is also historically and culturally a very rich language. The Chola dynasty ruled for a thousand years and there is a huge history which we cannot overlook,' said Fadnavis. Referring to the visionary king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Fadnavis said, 'Shivaji Maharaj has never taught us to be narrow minded. With limited resources and manpower, he defeated the mighty Mughal army through his strategic ruler Aurangzeb was finished and his 'kabar' built but Shivaji's 'swaraj' lived eternally.' The Kusumagraj centre at JNU will offer postgraduate and certificate-level programmes to promote multilingualism and cultural understanding. Under this, MA in Marathi and certificate courses to go with the NEP for non-Marathi speakers will be offered.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
17 minutes ago
- Business Standard
The Board's AI agenda: How prepared are you to guide the transformation?
When a business that relies heavily on artistic talent cites AI as a disruptive force, it signals more than just an industry-specific concern Amit Tandon Mumbai Listen to This Article An Indian music company, listed and with annual sales of ₹310 crore and a modest market capitalisation of ₹8,110 crore, has flagged artificial intelligence (AI) disruption as the most significant risk to its business. In its disclosure, the company noted: 'AI is transforming music production and significantly raising concerns about job displacement and income reduction. (On the one hand AI-generated music) opens new avenues for creativity and democratizes music production, while on the other, it brings forth challenges related to copyright, royalties, and the value of human-created recorded music.' When a business that relies heavily on artistic talent cites AI