India has signed a deal with a Russian firm to manufacture 7,50,000 AK-203 rifles, the latest derivative of the legendary AK-47 rifles. These rifles will be produced at the Indian Ordnance Factory at Amethi’s Korwa, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Amethi on Sunday.

Addressing a rally in Amethi where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present, Sitharaman said, “My first trip to Amethi is because of the Indo-Russian collaboration between Indian Ordnance Board and Russia due to which the ordnance factory at Amethi’s Korwa was set up.”

Speaking at the dedication of the Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd, the defence minister said that the the UP defence corridor that will be set up will connect as many as six UP cities.

She said, “The defence production corridor and Kalashnikov rifle AK-203 next generation rifle will help India. The AK-203 transfer of technology would be completely indigenous. This will help employment.”

However, she also said that though the defence corridor will not reach Amethi, the Kalashnikov rifle will help India immensely. During the event, she also read out a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Welcome Russian-India entrepreneurship in manufacture of Kalashnikovs. For more than seven decades, we have been supplying defence products and technology to India. The new joint venture will produce Kalashnikov assault rifles of the newest 200 series and eventually reach full localisation of production,” Sitharaman read out from the statement.

“Thus, Indian defence-industrial sector will have the opportunity to fulfil the needs of national security agencies in this category of small arms,” the defence minister further read out.

First Published: Mar 03, 2019 19:21 IST