Indian Army to Receive 7,000 More AK-203 Rifles Next Month for China, Pakistan Frontlines

IRRPL to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 rifles next month for frontline deployment with Indian troops facing China and Pakistan, taking total deliveries to 48,000.

Korwa: Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), the manufacturer of AK-203 assault rifles, is set to deliver another batch of 7,000 rifles to the Indian Army next month. These rifles will be deployed with troops stationed along the frontlines facing China and Pakistan. To date, approximately 48,000 AK-203 rifles have already been supplied to the Army.

The delivery is part of a 2021 contract between India and Russia for over 6 lakh 7.62mm x 39 AK-203 assault rifles, all of which are being manufactured at Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) in Korwa, Uttar Pradesh. While the agreement sets a deadline of 2032 for completion, the joint venture aims to finish production by mid-2030—two years ahead of schedule.

AK-203: Fast-Tracked Production and Full Indigenisation by 2025

According to IRRPL CEO and MD, Major General SK Sharma, the AK-203 rifles are being produced under a 100 percent technology transfer from Russia, and full indigenisation of production is expected to be achieved by December this year. The fully indigenised AK-203 assault rifle will be named “Sher” — the Hindi word for “Lion.”

“On December 31, 2025 we will hand over the first indigenised assault rifle to the force,” the IRRPL CEO said.

The rifles supplied so far to the Indian Army featured 50 percent indigenous components. However, the upcoming batch of 7,000 rifles, scheduled for delivery before August 15, 2025, will have 70 percent indigenous content.

India’s Shift from INSAS to Modern Assault Rifles

As part of its modernisation drive, the Army is gradually phasing out the ageing INSAS rifles. In addition to the AK-203, the Army has also acquired 1.44 lakh American-origin Sig-Sauer 716 assault rifles.

Major General SK Sharma further said: “From 2026, we will be producing 12,000 AK-203 rifles every month. One rifle will be made every 100 seconds and in one year, around 1.5 lakh rifles will be produced.”

Following the August delivery, an additional 15,000 AK-203 rifles are scheduled to be handed over to the Indian Army in December 2025.

All about AK-203 assault rifles

A modernised successor to the iconic Kalashnikov series—specifically the AK-47—the AK-203 offers enhanced accuracy, better ergonomics, and superior adaptability, making it well-suited for counterterrorism missions and high-altitude warfare.

Capable of firing 700 rounds per minute with an effective range of 800 metres, the AK-203 stands out as a reliable combat weapon.

According to Maj Gen Sharma, the rifle has already attracted interest from several countries across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

“In the last 18 months, we have delivered 48,000 rifles but have not received any complaints," he said.

Major General Sharma also stated the Russians had initially offered AK-103 rifles, but General Upendra Dwivedi, who was then the DG infantry, demanded that the latest in the AK series be manufactured in India.