India to produce AK-203 rifles, but Ka-226Ts remain elusive
The AK-203 7.62mm assault rifle weighs 3.8kg and features Picatinny rails and a folding and adjustable buttstock. (Rosoboronexport)
Military cooperation between India and Russia shows few signs of waning owing to American political pressure.
The only arms deal signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with his counterpart in Delhi on 6 December was for licence-built AK-203 assault rifles, with no progress on a self-induced logjam for Ka-226T helicopters.
The deal covered the production of 601,427 units of the AK-203 7.62 x 39mm rifle by a JV known as Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd.
The Rostec Corporation revealed that initial rifles would have only a 5% local indigenous content, but this would progressively rise to 70%.
The weapons will be manufactured at Korwa in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, at a price of INR85,000 ($1,130) each. This
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