New Delhi: In a big boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India initiative, a manufacturing unit of AK-series rifles will be constructed near the Gandhi family bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.   

As many as 7.47 lakh AK-203 rifles are expected to be be manufactured at the unit. The AK-203 is considered to be the most advanced in the Avtomat Kalashnikova (Kalashnikov's Automatic Gun) series of guns. 

The Kalashnikov rifle is one of the world's most deadly guns, and one of its biggest features is that it can be used to attack the enemy from under the surface of water bodies. 

The Russian company Kalashnikov Concern and India's Ordnance Factory Board will be jointly involved in the manufacturing of these third generation guns.  

The two countries are expected to sign an agreement in this regard towards the end of this week after which the price, and delivery time of the weapons will be clear. According to reports, India will have a greater stake (50.5%) in the unit. Russia will have a 49.5% stake.  

 

Earlier, the defence ministry had floated a tender for the purchase of six lakh rifles. Later, these rifles were decided to be built as part of the Make in India initiative. 

The Modi government has taken a number of steps to arm the nation's armed forces with the most modern weapons. The government this week signed a contract for acquiring 72,000 Sig Sauer rifles for the Indian Army under fast-track procedures. This means, in the next 12 months, the armed forces will have the latest US made SIG716-G2 assault rifles from Sig Sauer which will replace the INSAS rifles.