India Test-Fires First Fully Indigenous AK-203 Sher Rifle

Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) has manufactured and test-fired the first fully indigenous AK-203 assault rifle, named Sher, at its Korwa ordnance facility in Amethi. The rifle is produced using 100% Indian components and materials under the Make in India initiative, marking a shift from partial localization to end-to-end indigenization.

The 7.62x39mm rifle features a firing rate of 700 rounds per minute and an effective range of 800 meters. Major General S K Sharma, CEO and MD of IRRPL, reported that initial firing and burst firing results are encouraging. The company is currently developing prototypes for the Indian Army, with formal user trials scheduled for September 2026.

Under a 5,200 crore rupee contract, IRRPL is mandated to supply 601,427 rifles by October 2032 to replace aging INSAS rifles across the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. However, the company aims to complete the order by December 2030, nearly two years ahead of schedule. This acceleration is supported by a target production rate of one rifle every 100 seconds, totaling 600 units per day.