NEW DELHI, August 23. /TASS/. Up to ten countries have expressed their interest in acquiring Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles, which are manufactured by Indian-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), a joint Russian-Indian venture, Major General Sudhir Kumar Sharma, IRRPL CEO and Managing Director, told TASS on Friday.

"Today our rifles have become so popular and the articles that you have been reading in the media are so positive now that I have already been approached by 8 to 10 countries who are interested in buying the rifles made in India AK-203. They are looking at us because Kalashnikov rifles are very famous," the high-ranking Indian military official said in an interview with TASS.

"These 8-9 countries which approach are from Africa, Middle East, and South Asia," he said adding that Moscow and New Delhi would decide "which countries the assault rifles should be sent to."

"As a part of the Inter-Governmental Agreement document, it is very clearly mentioned that both India and Russia will decide after the rifle is made in India, whom want to sell it to," Sharma noted.

"So that means, first of all, the provisions of Inter-Governmental Agreement permit me to sell this rifle to other countries who are in a common list of India and Russia," he continued. "So anytime I want to sell anybody, India and Russia, that is, our shareholders will sit out together - this country we can sell, this country we cannot sell. We will decide it together."

Production of Kalashnikov rifles in India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the establishment of an India-Russia joint venture to produce Kalashnikov rifles in the country in March 2019. The Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited for the production of AK-203 has been set up near Korwa in the Amethi district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Russia’s co-founders are Rosoboronexport and Kalashnikov Concern of the Rostec State Corporation. India has become the first foreign country where the AK-203 iteration of the Kalashnikov assault rifle is manufactured.

The AK-203 assault rifle configured for the Indian Armed Forces was presented for the first time at the Defexpo India 2020 international arms show. Unlike its predecessor, the AK-203 boasts an anatomical Magpul buttstock and a more comfortable pistol grip.

The reinforced receiver cover and the upper part of the upgraded forend are fitted with the Picatinny rail for mounting various sights. MIL-STD-1913 standard mounts are also installed on the lower part of the forend (for bipods, foregrip or tactical light) and on the sides of the forend (for a laser range finder or tactical light). The rifle can be fitted with a 40mm GP-34 underbarrel grenade launcher.