India produces first fully indigenised AK-203 assault rifle
A Russian-made AK-203 assault rifle is displayed at Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2024. (Janes/Jeremy Binnie)
Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) – an India-Russia joint venture – has produced and test-fired its first AK-203 assault rifle, designated Sher, the company announced on 27 August.
According to IRRPL, the rifle was manufactured entirely from domestically sourced components and input materials, marking the programme's transition from local assembly to full-scale indigenisation production.
“Following the successful firing of the first 100% indigenised rifle, IRRPL is progressing towards production of the requisite number of prototypes for the Indian Army trials scheduled for September 2026,” the company said.
IRRPL said the domestic supplier network includes Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), Ordnance Systems Limited (OSL), and other Indian industry partners. The company added that it will now focus on strengthening its production capabilities and building the capacity required for large-scale deliveries.
India's Ministry of Defence signed a contract with IRRPL in December 2021 for 601,427 AK-203 rifles, to be produced at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh for the Indian military. An initial batch of 35,000 rifles was delivered to the Indian Army in2024.
The joint venture was established under an intergovernmental agreement between India and Russia and incorporated in 2019. The production arrangement included a phased transfer of manufacturing technology from Russia's Kalashnikov Concern to IRRPL, with indigenous content increasing as production progressed from the assembly of imported kits to full-scale domestic manufacture.
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