India’s Army is set to replace its ageing INSAS rifles with the AK-203 ‘Sher’, manufactured using 100% Indian-made components. The first prototypes of the rifle have successfully completed testing at the Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) facility in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh.
The prototypes are now being prepared for the final User Trials to be conducted by the Indian Army in September. Meanwhile, the Amethi facility is ramping up production, with a target of manufacturing one rifle every 100 seconds.
As part of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, India plans to procure more than 600,000 AK-203 rifles for the armed forces. The indigenous production of the rifles marks another major step towards strengthening India’s defence manufacturing capabilities.
