Adani Defence & Aerospace has signed a five-year agreement with Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL) to supply indigenously produced 7.62×39 mm ammunition for AK-203 assault rifles manufactured in India.
The agreement will provide an Indian source of ammunition for the AK-203 programme and support continuity of supplies throughout the contract period.
The pact brings together rifle production by IRRPL and ammunition manufacturing by Adani Defence, integrating two key elements of the India-Russia rifle programme within India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.
IRRPL was established in 2019 under an India-Russia intergovernmental agreement to manufacture AK-203 rifles for the Indian Armed Forces. Its facility is located at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district.
The joint venture includes Indian shareholders Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd and Munitions India Ltd, along with Russian shareholders Concern Kalashnikov and Rosoboronexport.
In December 2021, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with IRRPL for 6,01,427 AK-203 rifles to be manufactured at the Korwa facility.
Adani Defence has developed small-calibre ammunition manufacturing capabilities in India, including a facility in Kanpur. The latest agreement further expands domestic manufacturing across the small-arms supply chain and supports the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat push for greater self-reliance in defence production.
The pact also deepens the localisation of the India-Russia defence programme by pairing domestically manufactured rifles with locally produced ammunition.
