Amethi, August 25: The indigenous AK-203 rifle for the Indian Army has reached a significant milestone in its production journey. This modern rifle, named ‘Sher,’ is being manufactured at the Ordnance Factory located in the Munshiganj police station area of Amethi district. The factory is ramping up production, with plans to deliver a batch of rifles made entirely from domestic components to the Indian Army soon.
Major General Sudhish Kumar Sharma provided insights into the progress of the AK-203’s production and indigenization. He noted that the rifle’s manufacturing process has evolved over several years. The most crucial development is that all components are now being produced in India. He expressed optimism that rifles made with 100% Indian components will soon be handed over for army trials.
The decision to manufacture the AK-203 rifle in India was made around 2019 by the Indian Army and the Ministry of Defence. Arrangements were made to bring technology from Russia to India. Subsequently, agreements were reached between the government and relevant entities, leading to the establishment of a company called IRRPL.
The process of bringing technology to India and setting up the factory took several years. The first AK-203 rifle was produced in Amethi in 2023, initially comprising about 5% Indian and 95% Russian components. However, between August 2023 and August 2026, significant changes occurred in the indigenization process. Now, 100% of the rifle’s components are manufactured in India, marking a complete transition from reliance on foreign components to fully indigenous production within just three years.
To date, approximately 55,000 AK-203 rifles with varying levels of indigenization have been delivered to the Indian Army. Additionally, trials for rifles made entirely from Indian components are currently being prepared. The factory plans to initially produce 10 such rifles. After testing, these rifles will be handed over to the Indian Army for user trials. The goal is to complete the production and testing of these rifles by the end of September 2026.
Major General Sharma described the AK-203 as a modern rifle with a relatively simple design. It consists of around 50 major components, which include numerous smaller parts, totaling approximately 180 when counted individually. All components are now manufactured in India. The rifle operates on a gas-operated design, characterized as simple, reliable, and robust.
According to Sharma, the factory’s focus has not only been on rifle production but also on developing the necessary industrial ecosystem. This ecosystem includes around 100 MSMEs and is now largely established. There is a need to further enhance production capacity, and efforts are underway to achieve this. The factory plans to continue production while the Indian Army conducts trials of the 100% indigenous rifles, allowing both processes to progress simultaneously.
The plan aims to deliver the first fully indigenous batch of AK-203 rifles to the Indian Army by April 2027, with approximately 7,000 rifles expected in this initial shipment. This batch is particularly significant as it will consist entirely of domestically produced components, strengthening India’s defense production and indigenization efforts. The factory has also developed a long-term plan for large-scale production of the AK-203. Under the contract, over 600,000 AK-203 rifles are to be supplied to the Indian Army by 2032.
Efforts are being made to complete the supply at least one year before the contract deadline. To achieve this, the production capacity will be gradually increased to produce around 12,000 rifles each month.
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P.S.K/ABM
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