Latest news with #KalashnikovAK-203
India Today
18-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Exclusive: Inside Amethi's AK-203 assault rifle factory
India Today gets exclusive access inside the India-Russian Rifle Private Limited factory in Korwa, Amethi, where the AK-203 assault rifle is being manufactured. This joint venture between India and Russia is a significant step in the 'Make in India' initiative, with a target to achieve 100% indigenization by December this year. Currently, 48,000 rifles have been delivered to the Indian Army, with another 7,000 scheduled for delivery by August 15th. The project, part of a ₹5000 crore contract, aims to produce over 6 lakh rifles for the army. The 100% indigenous rifle will be named 'Sher'. Major General S K Sharma, the CMG of the facility, stated, "We are making a rifle which is the best in the world, Kalashnikov AK-203." The plan is not just to manufacture for India but also for other countries, embodying the vision of 'Make for the World'.
India Today
17-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Army to get 7,000 more 'Made in Amethi' AK-203 rifles in 2-3 weeks
In a major boost to the Army's firepower, it is set to receive the next batch of 7,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 rifles in the next 2-3 weeks, sources said. The Army received 35,000 of these rifles, being manufactured under a joint Indo-Russian venture in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi, in additional one lakh units are set to be delivered in 2026. The Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) said it was meeting the timelines and 100% indigenisation would be achieved by the end of this Army is phasing out the decades-old INSAS rifle in favour of the AK-203, a Russian-origin assault AK-203 RIFLES BRING TO THE TABLE The AK-203, a modernised version of the legendary Kalashnikov series, not only has superior accuracy, its improved ergonomics and adaptability make it ideal for counterterrorism operations and high-altitude signed a contract with Russia in July 2021 worth Rs 5,000 crore for over 6 lakh AK-203 rifles, which are to be manufactured in the country with technology transfer from production of the rifles officially commenced in January upgradation has been fast-tracked in light of India's twin threats along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and persistent cross-border activities from rifles have also seen export enquiries from African and Middle Eastern countries. "The demand for the AK-203 has surged, especially in regions where Russian arms have long been the preferred choice," a defence official told India Today.- EndsTrending Reel
Russia Today
17-04-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia's Kalashnikov looking to expand gun supplies to Indian police
A Russian-Indian joint venture has submitted a bid for a contract to supply Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles to the police force in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport said in a statement on Tuesday. Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), formed by Rosoboronexport and the Kalashnikov Concern along with two state-owned Indian firms – Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited and Munitions India Limited – started manufacturing the rifles in India in 2023. AK-203 rifles are manufactured using Russian technology and certified equipment. They are produced in the town of Korda in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, following the 'Make in India' initiative of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'The capacities of the Korwa Ordnance Factory make it possible to equip the personnel of the Ministry of Defense and other law enforcement agencies of India with AK-203 assault rifles, which, due to their high adaptability, are suitable for various operators,' Rosoboronexport CEO Aleksandr Mikheev said in a statement. In addition, the joint venture will be able to export its products to third countries, according to Mikheev. Manufacturing of AK-203 rifles has progressed rapidly since 2019, when Modi visited the Amethi district where the Korwa ordnance factory is located, reports said. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement in 2019 that 'the new joint venture will manufacture world famous Kalashnikov assault rifles of the newest 200 series and eventually will reach full localization of production. Thus, the Indian defense-industrial sector will have the opportunity to fulfill the needs of national security agencies in this category of small arms, resting upon advanced Russian technologies.' Since then, more than 35,000 Kalashnikovs have been delivered to the Indian Army by the joint venture, Srihari Pratap Shahi, additional CEO of UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), told RT. He added that further manufacturing of nearly 600,000 AK-203 rifles will be spread over ten years. READ MORE: Flying high: The world's 4th-largest military spender is kicking its dependency on foreign weapons UPEIDA is part of the Uttar Pradesh state government, tasked with establishing 'defense industrial corridors' in the northern part of India. Earlier this year, India proposed exporting the AK-203 rifle to Nepal, potentially replacing the outdated INSAS platform, as part of a broader effort to standardize modern assault rifles, according to a report in media outlet ThePrint.
