Adani Defence Signs a Five-Year Pact with IRRPL to Supply Indigenous 7.62x39 mm AK-203 Ammunition

8 September 2026National

Adani Defence & Aerospace and Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) signed a five-year agreement for indigenously manufactured 7.62x39 mm small-calibre ammunition for India's AK-203 assault rifle programme. The ammunition will be made at Adani's Kanpur facility, while IRRPL builds the rifles at Korwa in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. The Ministry of Defence contracted IRRPL in December 2021 for 6,01,427 rifles to replace the ageing INSAS. The gas-operated AK-203 fires 700 rounds per minute with an effective range of about 800 metres. IRRPL recently test-fired 'Sher', a fully indigenous AK-203 - a supply-chain closure that mirrors the same day's DAC clearance for indigenisation-linked procurement.

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IRRPL is a joint venture of India's Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd and Munitions India Ltd with Russia's Rosoboronexport and Kalashnikov Concern | The INSAS rifle was developed by DRDO's ARDE, Pune | Amethi and Kanpur are districts of Uttar Pradesh

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