Delhi. August 20. INTERFAX-India on Thursday signed a contract with Russia for the immediate supply of the latest Kalashnikov assault rifles of the "two-hundredth series" in the amount of 70 thousand units, the online publication The Print reported.
The contract was concluded between the Ministry of Defense of India and Russian representatives, as well as in the presence of officials of Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd. It is expected that these weapons will begin to be delivered to India in November 2021.
Kalashnikov assault rifles of the "two-hundredth series" will become the main similar weapon in the Indian Armed Forces in the coming years and will replace the INSAS-a system of small arms of 5. 56x45 mm caliber, which has been in service with the country since 1998.
According to the publication, part of the infantry units on the front line will be armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles of the "two-hundredth series".
The publication reminds that at the same time, India and the Russian Federation have been working on a project for the joint production of AK-203 submachine guns in India since 2018.
On February 4, Rosoboronexport announced that the contract documents that will allow India to launch the licensed production of AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles have been worked out. "The contract has been worked out and is ready for signing, "Rosoboronexport said.
On February 21, the general director of the Kalashnikov concern, Dmitry Tarasov, said that the joint Russian-Indian enterprise could produce about 40 thousand AK-203 submachine guns this year if the corresponding contract is signed.
In March, the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Shugaev, reported that negotiations with India on a plant for the production of AK-203 submachine guns are at an advanced stage.