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)
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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