India's IRRPL fires first fully indigenous AK-203 'Sher' rifle

Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited, a partnership created in 2019, has achieved a milestone by producing the first AK-203 assault rifle that incorporates 100% Indian-sourced parts, dubbed 'Sher'. The rifle was assembled at the Korwa ordnance facility in Amethi and successfully underwent firing tests, including burst fire, with encouraging outcomes. IRRPL's chief executive highlighted that this represents complete end-to-end indigenisation under the Make in India drive.

The firm intends to supply a series of fully indigenised prototypes to the Indian Army for trials slated for September 2026. Production is set to accelerate to one unit every 100 seconds, potentially advancing the delivery schedule of roughly 6 lakh rifles by about a year. The AK-203, a modern 7.62×39 mm gas-operated rifle, is slated to replace the older INSAS models in service.