Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit, nod to production of AK 203 rifles

New Delhi, December 4

The government has given its final approval to a nearly Rs 5,000 crore deal to manufacture over 5,00,000 AK 203 rifles at a manufacturing facility in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, official sources said on Saturday.

The mega deal is expected to be formally announced at a summit between PM Narendra Modi and his Russian President Vladimir Putin in Delhi on Monday.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by the PM cleared the deal on Wednesday, days after it was given the go-ahead by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the sources said. “In an endeavour to give a big boost to self-reliance in defence manufacturing in India, the government has approved the plan for the production of over 500,000 AK-203 assault rifles at Korwa in Amethi,” another source said.

Both Russia and India had given in-principle approval to the deal during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow last year. The joint venture is also expected to explore the possibility of exporting the Kalashnikov rifles.

“The approval reflects the ever-increasing paradigm shift in defence acquisition from buy (global) to ‘Make in India.’ The endeavour also reflects the deepening partnership between the two countries,” the source said. The 7.62 X 39mm caliber AK-203 rifles will replace the INSAS rifles.

AK-203 assault rifles, with an effective range of 300 metres, are lightweight, robust and easy to use, and are expected to enhance the combat potential of the troops. The project will be implemented by a special purpose joint venture called Indo-Russian Rifles Private Ltd (IRRPL).

The two sides are likely to wrap up the final phase of negotiations for a logistics support agreement which is likely to be signed either during the two-plus-two talks or at the summit.

India and Russia are set to renew for the next decade a framework for military-technical cooperation at the summit besides announcing a joint commission on technology and science. The two sides may firm up a number of defence procurement proposals. — PTI

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