Indian Army to Receive 20K More AK-203 Rifles by March 2025

The Indo-Russian joint venture firm is set to supply 20,000 additional AK-203 rifles to the Indian Army by March 2025, in a major boost to the military's firepower, the company's CEO and managing director, Major General Sudhir Kumar Sharma, told Sputnik India on Wednesday.

Last year, India's ground forces received 35,000 AK-203 rifles from Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), in what was billed as a turning point for the country's Army.

"After the 35,000 last year, we have already delivered 5,928 rifles till now and by March 2025, a total of 55,000 rifles will have been delivered to the Army," Sharma emphasised.

Previously, Indian troops relied heavily on the homegrown Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifles during operations, especially in volatile regions like Kashmir and its northeast states.

However, with the INSAS proving no match for the advanced and sophisticated weapons used by terrorists in these insurgency-prone areas, the Indian Army began feeling the need to equip its soldiers with a dependable and advanced assault rifle.

Subsequently, an inter-governmental agreement was inked in 2019, leading to the formation of IRRPL, under which the joint venture is to produce 600 thousand AK-203 assault rifles for the Indian military.

One of the stakeholders in the project is the Kalashnikov Concern, the makers of the iconic AK-47 rifle and other guns associated with its family, solidifying the "reliability" factor in the AK-203 series.

"The most important quality a soldier looks for in an assault rifle is 'reliability', and I can say with conviction that the AK-203 stands as the most reliable assault rifle in its class today," the IRRPL CEO asserted.

Furthermore, the rifle manufacturer is on course to expand its production capacity due to surging demand from domestic and potential international buyers.

Besides the Indian Armed Forces, 10 nations from the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa, have formally expressed interest in acquiring the AK-203 assault rifles.

"The interest in the AK-203 made in India continues to grow. A large number of domestic customers are also in discussion with us. We will be focusing on meeting the yearly requirements of the MoD contract, as it is our No.1 priority. However, we have plans to increase the production capacity to meet the emerging demands, both domestic and international," Sharma concluded.

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