The contract on the delivery of the latest 7.62mm AK-203 assault rifles to India will be signed in the near future, Rosoboronexport told TASS at the Aero India 2021 international aerospace show on Thursday.
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"The contract for the delivery of Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles to the Defence Ministry of India by the Russian-Indian joint venture Indo-Russian Private Rifles Limited has been worked out and is ready for signing," the state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, said.
According to the news agency, Rosoboronexport said that the contract may be signed in the immediate future.
Last month, the Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane said that the final contract for the production of AK-203 Rifles in India is about to be concluded soon.
Russia is demonstrating the external outlook of the AK-203 assault rifle designated for the Indian Army for the first time at the Aero India 2021 exhibition. Compared to the baseline AK-203 version, the assault rifle designated for the Indian Army has a fixed side-folding butt. The empty assault rifle weighs 3.8 kg, has a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute, and an accuracy range of 800 m. The AK-203 assault rifle intended for the Indian Amy is equipped with a Picatinny rail and has a barrel length of 415 mm.
This project has been in process for the past two years, it many different obstacles. 2020 was one main roadblock as differences in pricing and the travel restrictions caused by Covid-19 did not allow the Amethi AK-203 rifles factory to start last May as was planned.
The Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited is a rifle-manufacturing facility in Korwa, Amethi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The factory is a joint venture between three companies. OFB owns the controlling stakes of 50.5%, Kalashnikov owns 42% stake, while Rosonboronexport owns a stake of 7.5%. An Indian CEO from the Indian Army leads the company.
