India Test-Fires First Fully Indigenous AK-203 Assault Rifle Named Sher

India has manufactured and test-fired its first fully indigenous AK-203 assault rifle at the Korwa facility in Uttar Pradesh. The rifle has been named Sher.

The successful firing marks the completion of localisation efforts under the Indo-Russian joint venture originally established to produce the AK-203 series. Earlier batches still relied on imported components; the latest version uses only domestically sourced parts.

Officials described the achievement as a step toward self-reliance in infantry weapons. The AK-203 is intended to replace older service rifles across sections of the Indian Army and paramilitary forces.

Production capacity at Korwa is expected to scale once trials and formal induction processes are complete. The programme forms part of a broader push to expand domestic defence manufacturing under existing policy frameworks.