• UGI USER
  • May 20, 2024
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INDIAN ARMY RECEIVES 27,000 AK-203 RIFLES VIA INDO-RUSSIAN JOINT VENTURE

Why in the news?

  • Indo-Russian joint venture at Korwa, Uttar Pradesh, initiated rifle delivery to the Indian Army.
  • The venture involves technology transfer from Russia for manufacturing AK-203 rifles.
  • 27,000 rifles have been handed over, with another 8,000 scheduled for delivery in the next two weeks.
source:medium

About AK-203:

  • Over ₹5,000 crore contract for 6.1 lakh AK-203 rifles in India with tech transfer from Russia.
  • Manufactured by Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt. Ltd. in Korwa Ordnance Factory.
  • AK-203, an advanced version of AK-47, to replace INSAS rifles after 3 decades.
  • Fires 7.62×39 cartridges, weighs 3.8 kg without ammo.
  • Effective range over 300 meters, lightweight, robust.
  • Expected to replace INSAS 5.56×45 mm rifles due to altitude limitations, jamming, and oil leakage issues.
About Indian Small Arms System:

  • INSAS: Assault rifles, LMGs in Indian, Nepal, Bhutan, Oman armies since 1998.
  • INSAS is a family of infantry arms, including assault rifles and light machine guns.
  • Manufactured by Ordnance Factories Board at various locations in India.
  • Standard infantry weapon of Indian Armed Forces but faced issues in real combat.
  • Used in Kargil War and practice, but not in real proxy wars.
  • Complaints included jamming, magazine cracking in cold, automatic mode issues, and oil spray into the operator’s eyes.