New Delhi: The Indian Army has test-fired the AK-203 ‘Sher’, a rifle produced in India as a replacement option for the INSAS rifles currently in service.
The move aligns with the Centre’s push for self-reliance across sectors, including defence manufacturing. Soldiers have long flagged issues with INSAS rifles, particularly during winter conditions, and have sought a replacement.
To manufacture AK-203 rifles in India, India and Russia set up Indo Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) in 2019, following an agreement signed the same year. Rifles produced at the Korwa facility in Uttar Pradesh have been supplied to the Army since 2024.
IRRPL has now produced a version made exclusively with indigenous equipment and parts, branded ‘Sher’. CEO and Managing Director Major General S K Sharma said the key achievement was making every component domestically rather than merely assembling rifles in India, noting the weapon includes around 50 major parts, 180 sub-parts and roughly 120 manufacturing processes.
The AK-203 ‘Sher’ uses 7.62×39 mm ammunition and belongs to the Kalashnikov AK-100 family. It features a foldable and adjustable stock, an improved grip and provisions to mount additional accessories. IRRPL has secured a contract worth Rs 5,200 crore to produce 6,01,427 rifles.
