India to begin full-scale production of AK-203 assault rifles by 2025

India will begin producing 600 AK-203 assault rifles daily, fully assembled from locally manufactured components by December 2025.

Major General Sudhir Kumar Sharma, General and Managing Director of Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) announced the ambitious plans in an interview with Russian media, Caliber.Az reports.

This joint Russian-Indian venture aims for 100% localization of rifle production, progressing through five phases based on the percentage of technology transferred.

Sharma noted that the first rifle, containing 5% locally manufactured parts and 95% imported from Russia, was assembled in India in June 2023. The IRRPL contract with India's Ministry of Defence, signed in December 2021, led to the first delivery of rifles in December 2023, with 35,000 units already deployed by Indian soldiers.

The joint venture to produce Kalashnikov assault rifles in India was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2019. Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited is based near Korwa in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, with Rosoboronexport and Kalashnikov Concern of Rostec State Corporation as Russian partners. India is the first foreign country to manufacture the "200th" series of Kalashnikov rifles.

The AK-203 variant for the Indian Armed Forces was first showcased at the Defexpo India 2020 international arms exhibition.