The Indian Army is set to receive a fresh consignment of AK-203 assault rifles, a modernized version of the iconic Kalashinikov series, under a deal worth INR 5,200 crore.
The AK-203 features an effective range of up to 800 meters, a firing rate of 700 rounds per minute, and weighs approximately 3.8 kilograms. The rifle, designed for modern combat, is 705 mm in length without a buttstock.
The rifles are being produced domestically in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), a joint venture established under an INR 5,200 crore contract to deliver over six lakh units. The Indian variant is named ‘Sher’.
IRRPL chief Major General S.K. Sharma said that around 48,000 rifles have already been delivered to the army. An additional 7,000 rifles are scheduled for delivery in the coming weeks, with 15,000 more expected by December this year. The complete delivery of all 600,000 rifles is targeted to be completed by December 2030.
The AK-203 will served as the primary assault rifle for Indian troops deployed along the Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual Control (LAC), and India’s northern and western borders.
