Why Indian Army's Amethi-made AK-203 rifles are a big deal

First Post

18-07-2025

The Indian Army is set to receive a new batch of AK-203 assault rifles by December. The rifles are being produced by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) and manufactured in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi. This work is part of a Rs 5,200-crore deal signed under the 'Make in India' campaign. The AK-203 is a modern version of the famous Kalashnikov rifle series and is also known as 'Sher' in India read more
The AK-203 is a modern version of the famous Kalashnikov rifle series. File Photo/ANI
The Indian Armed Forces will soon receive a fresh supply of AK-203 assault rifles.
These rifles are being made in India by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), a joint venture set up to locally produce the AK-203.
In India, the rifle has been named 'Sher' and is being manufactured in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi.
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The agreement for more than six lakh AK-203 rifles was signed in 2021. The delivery is likely to be completed almost 22 months earlier than planned.
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But what exactly are these rifles? And how are they being produced?
Let's take a look:
What are AK-203 rifles?
The AK-203 is a modern version of the famous Kalashnikov rifle series.
These rifles are being made at the Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) factory in Amethi's Korwa region in Uttar Pradesh.
This work is part of a Rs 5,200 crore deal signed under the 'Make in India' campaign.
In India, the AK-203 is also known as 'Sher'.
#WATCH | Amethi, Uttar Pradesh: 100% of indigenisation of AK 203 rifles to be done by the end of 2025. pic.twitter.com/wlruZwmHq3 — ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2025
To meet immediate needs, 70,000 rifles were first brought from abroad before local production started.
Maj Gen S K Sharma, CEO and Managing Director of IRRPL, described the project as the 'younger brother of BrahMos'. He told PTI that IRRPL has 50.5% Indian shareholding and 49.5% Russian.
The AK-203 rifles are far more advanced than the older AK-47 and AK-56 models. They are among the most powerful rifles in the Kalashnikov family.
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These rifles are set to replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifles, which have been in use for over 30 years. Unlike the INSAS, which uses a 5.56x45 mm cartridge, the AK-203 uses a 7.62x39 mm cartridge, NDTV reported.
Its magazine can hold up to 30 cartridges.
The rifle is built to boost the performance of Indian forces during counter-insurgency and anti-terror operations. It weighs around 3.8 kg, while the INSAS weighs 4.15 kg.
#BreakingNews | India on track to achieve 100% indigenous AK-203 rifles by 2025@kaidensharmaa brings a ground report from the Indo-Russian rifle factory in Amethi#IndiaDefenceSystem #AK203Rifle | @GrihaAtul pic.twitter.com/MyUusIQCdS — News18 (@CNNnews18) July 18, 2025
Without a buttstock, the 'Sher' rifle measures 705 mm in length, compared to the 960 mm length of the INSAS, the report said.
The AK-203 will be the main assault weapon for troops stationed along the northern and western borders, including the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control.
Features like a telescopic buttstock, better recoil control, and support for modern optics make the AK-203 fit for present-day combat needs, according to The New Indian Express.
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Where are these rifles made?
The AK-203 assault rifles are being produced by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL).
'Around 48,000 rifles have been delivered so far. Another 7,000 will be handed over in the next two to three weeks and 15,000 more by December this year,' Maj Gen SK Sharma said.
He added, 'From 2026, the factory will make 12,000 rifles each month, which means the full order will be completed well before the deadline.'
The factory is set up on 8.5 acres of land in Amethi and currently has over 260 staff, including permanent Russian experts. The workforce will increase to 537, with 90 per cent being locals, according to the officer.
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IRRPL has reached 50 per cent indigenisation and aims to deliver the first fully Indian-made AK-203 rifle by December. After that, production will scale up to 1.5 lakh rifles a year.
#WATCH | Amethi, Uttar Pradesh: CEO & MD of Indo Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), Major General SK Sharma says, "If you ask a soldier, then his most reliable friend is an assault rifle... AK-203 will be the most reliable thing in the future. We have received an order of… https://t.co/mJdL7IiO0E pic.twitter.com/10HvAXhfvH — ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2025
The joint venture has received complete Transfer of Technology (ToT) from Russia, and all testing is now done within India, he said.
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Each rifle goes through 120 steps and is made up of about 50 components and 180 sub-parts. The weapon has a service life of 15,000 rounds.
'Every material now has an alternate source in India,' Sharma said, adding that the plant's quality control system is becoming one of the best in the country.
IRRPL was formed in 2019 through an inter-governmental agreement to produce AK-203 rifles for the Indian Armed Forces.
The joint venture includes Russian companies Rosoboronexport and Concern Kalashnikov, along with Indian firms Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL) and Munitions India Limited (MIL).
A team from the Indian Army, headed by Maj Gen Sharma, is overseeing the company's work.
When asked about plans to go beyond the AK-203 platform, Sharma told The Times of India, 'Yes, we are expecting to expand, there are efforts in that direction. The intergovernmental agreement was very clear that this company will also produce other parts of the Kalashnikov Concern and AK-203 is just the entry product.'
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With inputs from agencies