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Context: The production of the AK-203 assault rifles by the Indo-Russian joint venture at Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, is set to begin by year-end and the manufacturing equipment required for it will be dispatched from Russia shortly, according to a senior official of Kalashnikov, the Russian company which manufactures the rifles.

Details:

• As part of pre-production activities, retrials were scheduled to be done with ammunition from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in Russia in the first half of February, but got delayed by few months due to the war in Ukraine.
• On this, officials said this issue had now been resolved and a local manufacturer of ammunition had been identified in India.
• As per the contract, over 6.1 lakh AK-203 assault rifles costing over ₹5,000 crore will be manufactured by a Joint Venture, Indo-Russian Rifles Private Ltd (IRRPL), at Korwa, Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
• IRRPL was set up jointly between erstwhile OFB [now Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL) and Munitions India Limited (MIL)] of India and Rosoboronexport (RoE) and concern Kalashnikov of Russia.
• A modern production line has been established and a small arms range has been set up where acceptance tests of rifles will be carried out.
• As per contractual terms, first 70,000 AK-203 rifles will be produced in India with a phased increase in the extent of localisation from 5% to 70%. The remaining rifles will be produced with 100% localisation.

Why AK 203 assault rifles?

• AK-203 assault rifle is considered to be the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle.
• Itis a 7.62×39mm variant from the AK-100 rifle family (one that offers the AK-74M system, in multiple cartridges and lengths).
• This variant is expected to replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56×45 mm assault rifle, that are presently being used by Army, Navy and the Air Force besides other security forces.
• INSAS rifles are not suitable for use at high altitude. Several other issues with these rifles include gun jamming, oil leakage etc.

AK 203: Strengths & Advantages:

• Popular because of robust mechanics and simplicity of operation, these rifles have been tested under the conditions of extreme heat and cold.
• This variant is an advanced version of AK-47 and its magazine can hold 30 bullets.
• Unlike the INSAS rifles, these rifles never get jammed as these belong to AK series.
• These rifles are a type of Kalashnikov rifles, which can work under extreme climatic conditions and are effective even in sand, soil and water.
• These rifles also offer high degree of versatility, adjustability and customizability.
• The 7.62 mm ammunition in AK-203 gun is NATO grade and therefore more powerful.
• The rifle, which can fire 600 bullets in one minute, means 10 bullets in a second, can be used in automatic and semi-automatic mode.

Manufacturing of 7.5 lakh AK-203 rifles in Uttar Pradesh:

• India and Russiahad signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) in February 2019 for production of AK 203 assault rifles.
• For this, a Joint venture was formed between Ordnance Factories Board (OFB) on the Indian side, and Rosonboron Exports and Concern Kalashnikov on the Russian side.
• Other India-Russia bilateral projects currently underway include indigenous production of T-90 tanks and Su-30-MKIaircraft, supply of MiG-29-K aircraft and Kamov-31 and Mi-17 helicopters, upgrade of MiG-29 aircraft and supply of Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher Smerch.
• Both the countries have also collaborated to develop and produce supersonic BrahMos cruise missilesin India.

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