Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 18 (ANI): The AK-203 assault rifles used by Indian soldiers will be completely made in India by the end of 2025, said CEO and MD of Indo Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), Major General SK Sharma. 
Sharma said 50 per cent of the work is already indigenised, and full local production will speed up deliveries in the coming years.
He said the Indian armed forces will receive a total of 70,000 AK-203 assault rifles by the end of this year, with 48,000 already delivered, as part of a larger order of over 6 lakh rifles aimed at boosting infantry firepower.
Speaking to ANI, Major General SK Sharma said, “If you ask a soldier, then his most reliable friend is an assault rifle… AK-203 will be the most reliable thing in the future. We have received an order of more than 6 lakh rifles from the Indian forces. So far, we have provided them with 48,000 rifles. By the end of this year, we will deliver a total of 70,000 rifles to them.”
Sharma said that if production is set to ramp up as indigenisation reaches 50 per cent, with full localisation expected by year-end, paving the way for early completion of deliveries by 2030, two years ahead of contract.
“The delivery of rifles is slow because we are indigenizing them, and 50% indigenisation has been completed so far, which will increase to 100% by the end of the year. Then our rate of production will also increase, and we are planning to deliver all the rifles by the end of 2030, which is two years early as per the contract,” Sharma said.
A day earlier, India successfully test-fired Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM), Prithvi-II and Agni-I, from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha’s Chandipur, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement.
The launches took place on Thursday, during which all operational and technical parameters were validated.
These tests were conducted under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command. (ANI)
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