From INSAS to AK-203: How India's 'Sher' assault rifle came to be

An assault rifle is the most basic and often the only weapon carried by a soldier. Only in some cases, the rifles are supplemented by hand grenades and bulletproof jackets for safety.

The British set up the rifle factory at Ichapur in Bengal in 1904 to supply small arms to the armed forces. It produced 7.62x51 mm self-loading rifles (SLRs), the mainstay of the forces until the 1990s, when they were replaced by 5.56x45 mm INSAS assault rifles, supplied by the Ordnance Factory Board, with final assembly at Ichapur..

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While the INSAS rifles were an improvement over SLRs the Army remained dissatisfied with the basic weapon. There were reliability issues, including complaints of jamming at critical moments. As insurgency intensified, the forces' approach also shifted from "shoot to incapacitate" to "shoot to kill", following instances of terrorists firing back or throwing grenades after being hit by INSAS rounds. Terrorists were mostly armed with more lethal Kalashnikovs.

The Army proposed a dual-calibre weapon - 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm - in 2009, but the procurement failed in 2015. The OFB developed the 7.62x51mm INSAS 1C in 2015, but the Army rejected it over quality and reliability concerns.

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The Army had not procured assault rifles from Ichapur for 10 years. To address critical shortages, procurement of assault rifles and carbines was initiated under the Fast Track Procedure in 2018. While carbines were procured from US-based Sig Sauer, the assault rifles failed firing trials in the US and could not be procured.

In 2018, Russia offered to collaborate with India to manufacture 7.62x39 mm AK-103 assault rifles in India, with technology transfer.

While high-end systems such as the S-400 were being procured from Russia, collaboration on a weapon for every soldier generated greater interest in the Ministry of Defence and the Army. A delegation led by me as DG (Acquisition) visited Concern Kalashnikov headquarters in Izhevsk to begin talks. Our terms were clear: 100% technology transfer, complete manufacture in India, access to future upgrades, Russian partnership in the venture and Russian oversight of quality control.

It was decided to establish a 50.5:49.5 JV between an Indian entity, Rosoboronexport, the Russian government's defence export arm, and Concern Kalashnikov.

We felt selecting a private entity without a bidding process could invite controversy. Meanwhile, I visited the ordnance factory at Korwa in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, established in 2007 to manufacture assault rifles but lying idle since then. We proposed the OFB as the Indian partner.

Negotiations with Russia continued as an Army delegation led by then DG Infantry General Upendra Dwivedi visited Izhevsk for trials. The delegation preferred the AK-203 for its better ergonomics, additional Picatinny rails and performance.

Russia was initially reluctant to part with the recently inducted AK-203, but agreed after the Indian Army insisted on the newer version for use over the next 30-40 years.

Tough negotiations followed over indigenisation. The number of fully formed imported rifles was ultimately reduced and indigenisation expedited after we explained that Russia, as an equal JV partner, would also benefit from higher profits. This cleared the final hurdle, and the inter-governmental agreement was signed in January 2019. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the venture at Korwa in February 2019.

But this was not the end. Indo-Russian Rifles Private Ltd was registered and price negotiations began. The Russian partners sought a higher price for the AK-203 and wanted a royalty after 100% indigenisation.

A technical hurdle also arose over accuracy standards. India required nine of 10 shots to hit a 10-cm circle at 100 metres, while Russia used a different method. Unable to reconcile the two, I took the issue to then Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, who agreed to accept the Russian standard, considering the proven performance of Kalashnikov weapons.

Common ground was ultimately reached on all issues except royalty. Negotiations dragged on for months, and the contract for 7,50,000 AK-203 assault rifles for the Army, Navy, Air Force and paramilitary forces was signed in December 2021, after I had left the Ministry of Defence.

It is a proud moment that IRRPL has recently delivered the first batch of the 100% indigenous 'Sher' assault rifle to the Army.

The writer is former DG (Acquisition), Ministry of Defence