700 Bullets A Minute, 800 Metres Range: The Amethi-Made AK-203 Rifle

The Indian armed forces are set to get a new batch of AK-203 assault rifles, a modernised version of the Kalashnikov series, which can fire up to 700 rounds in a minute and has a range of 800 metres.

The Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) is a joint venture company that has been established for the indigenous production of AK-203, named 'Sher' in India, in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi.

The company, under a Rs 5,200 crore contract, has to supply over six lakh rifles to the armed forces. IRRPL chief, Maj Gen SK Sharma, on Thursday said they plan to finish deliveries by December 2030.

"Around 48,000 rifles have been delivered so far. Another 7,000 will be handed over in the next two to three weeks, and 15,000 additional by December this year," he told reporters.

All About AK-203 'Sher' Rifle

The AK-203 rifles are significantly more modern compared to the AK-47 and AK-56 rifles. They are one of the most lethal rifles in the Kalashnikov series.

AK-203 will replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifles, which have been in service for more than three decades. They have a 7.62x39 mm cartridge, while INSAS had a 5.56x45 mm cartridge.

Thirty cartridges can be put in its magazine at a time.

The rifle, designed to enhance Indian forces' operational effectiveness in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, weighs about 3.8 kg, while the INSAS weighs 4.15 kg.

The 'Sher' rifles are 705 mm long without a buttstock, while INSAS rifles are 960 mm long.

They will become the primary assault rifle for soldiers deployed along the northern and western borders, including the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control.