Adani Defence signs five-year deal to supply Made-in-India ammunition for AK-203 assault rifles
Adani Defence & Aerospace has signed a five-year agreement with Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd to supply indigenously manufactured 7.62×39 mm ammunition for AK-203 assault rifles being produced in India. The agreement will create an integrated domestic supply chain for the India-Russia rifle programme.
Under the agreement, Adani Defence will supply the small-calibre ammunition required for the AK-203 programme for five years, providing an Indian source of supply and supporting continuity of ammunition availability over the contract period, according to the company.
The agreement brings together rifle production by Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL) and ammunition manufacturing by Adani Defence, linking two key components of the AK-203 programme within India’s growing defence manufacturing ecosystem.
IRRPL was established in 2019 under an India-Russia intergovernmental agreement to manufacture AK-203 assault rifles for the Indian Armed Forces. Its manufacturing facility is located in Korwa, in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district.
The joint venture has Indian shareholders Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd and Munitions India Ltd, along with Russian shareholders Concern Kalashnikov and Rosoboronexport.
Govt signed contract in 2021 for manufacturing AK-203 rifles
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has identified Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL) as the joint venture responsible for the indigenous production of AK-203 assault rifles in India. In December 2021, the government signed a contract with IRRPL for the production of 6,01,427 AK-203 rifles at its facility in Korwa.
The latest agreement expands the domestic manufacturing footprint around the programme by pairing locally produced rifles with locally manufactured ammunition, according to the firm.
Adani Defence has developed small-calibre ammunition manufacturing capabilities in India, including a production facility in Kanpur. The agreement would further strengthen domestic capabilities across the small-arms supply chain and support the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative for greater self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
The deal also marks a further step in localising the India-Russia defence programme, which was originally established to manufacture AK-203 rifles in India. By sourcing a key ammunition requirement domestically, the programme could reduce dependence on external suppliers for essential consumables used with the weapon system.
AK-203 assault rifle is a version of the AK-200 rifle chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge used in the Indian Army. The weapon has the traditional advantages of Kalashnikov assault rifles: reliability and ease of maintenance. The AK-203s are manufactured in India in compliance with exclusive Russian technologies on certified equipment.
