GANDHINAGAR: The AK-203 guns will start production in India from the end of 2022. This was informed by the Russian arms export company Rosoboronexport. In 2019, India and Russia signed an agreement to manufacture seven and a half lakh AK 203 guns for the Indian Army. The contract was to import one lakh guns from Russia and manufacture the rest in India. According to this, the factory construction for manufacturing guns has been completed at Amethi in UP.

'Production of the AK 203 rifle will start in India by the end of this year. The plant in India is all set to start serial production of assault rifles this year,' said Alexander Mikheev, head of Rosoboronexport, who was present at the Defense Expo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from October 18 to 22. The company is participating in the five-day defense expo at Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat.

Earlier this year, the Center had approved the production of five lakh AK-203 rifles at the Korwa Ordnance Factory located in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. There were reports that operations in India have slowed down as the Ukraine-Russia conflict drags on indefinitely. The AK 203 is being manufactured in India as part of the Union Ministry of Defense's decision to make the defense manufacturing sector self-sufficient. The country will also be able to ensure more employment opportunities in related sectors as raw materials and parts are required for gun manufacturing.

The AK 203 will replace the Insas rifle used by the Indian Army. This light gun has a range of 300 meters. The advantage is that it can be handled very quickly and easily by soldiers. The firearms are manufactured in India by Ordnance Factory of India, Kalashnikov Conzone and Rosoboronexport.