New Delhi: Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Moscow, Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited, a joint venture between Russia’s Rostec and India, has delivered 35,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles to the Indian Ministry of Defence. This achievement marks the first phase of the project, which aims to produce AK-203 rifles in India with 100% localization.
The AK-203 rifle, a variant of the AK-200, is chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge and boasts the traditional reliability and ease of maintenance of Kalashnikov assault rifles. The joint venture, founded by ROSOBORONEXPORT and the Kalashnikov Group, has established production facilities at the Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, equipped with certified equipment and Russian technologies.
Sergey Chemezov, Director General of Rostec, highlighted the significance of this project, stating that it demonstrates Russia’s commitment to providing cutting-edge defence solutions and transferring technology to its partners.
Sergey Chemezov, said,
“Today India is the first foreign customer to produce the “two hundredth” series of Kalashnikov assault rifles. Production has been deployed in India in full compliance with the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (Self-Reliant India) programs. The project includes technology transfer, and its concept includes 100% localization of AK-203 production.”
Alexander Mikheev, Director General of ROSOBORONEXPORT, emphasized the successful cooperation between Russia and India in the defence sector, with a focus on technological interaction and localization.
Alexander Mikheev said,
“To increase the degree of localization, all necessary equipment has been shipped to the Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh state, and production facilities are now fully equipped. This made it possible to produce and deliver a batch of 35,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles to the Indian Army within the timeframe agreed with the Ministry of Defence of India.”
The delivery of these rifles underscores the strength of the Indo-Russian defence partnership and India’s efforts to achieve self-reliance in defence production under the “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan” initiatives. As the joint venture moves forward, it is expected to further enhance India’s defence capabilities and cement the partnership between the two nations.
Picture Source: Rosoboronexport