The delegation of India’s Ministry of Defense (MoD), led by Mr. Apurva Chandra, Director General Acquisition of the Ministry of Defense of India, visited the industrial site of Izhevsk-based Kalashnikov Group, Rostec's member.

The guests were given a tour of the production facility, demonstrating the modern manufacture of Kalashnikov assault rifles of various modifications. Besides, they were given the opportunity to test numerous Kalashnikov’s weapons on a range.

“India's military, like the rest of the world, knows Kalashnikow's legendary designs perfectly well. Today gave us the opportunity to see the entire production cycle and test assault rifles ourselves. What we have witnessed proves the plant's capacity to provide uninterrupted production of hi-tech equipment in quantity. While assembly of the latest AKs has already gone in full swing, we saw good potential for future growth and transition to production of state-of-the-art designs in the future,” noted Mr. Apurva Chandra after examining Kalashnikov’s operation lines.

Being consistent with all requirements, which one would expect a modern weapon to meet, the AKs exported today are the most advanced production modifications of the AKs. Apart from supply of end products, Rosoboronexport assists in starting their licensed manufacturing at foreign customers’ sites. Every year, Asian and Latin American states supported by Rosoboronexport manufacture dozens of thousands of licensed copies of Kalashnikovs.

“We are ready to help India construct a facility similar to what the Mr. Apurva Chandra-led delegation saw today to produce modern weapons and future Kalashnikov's designs. Rosoboronexport has substantial expertise to accommodate needs of our partner. Russia's special arms exporter can cooperate with any state or private facility in India subject to the country's Ministry of Defense choice,” said Director General Alexandr Mikheev of Rosoboronexport.

“The Kalashnikov Group demonstrated to our Indian partners capabilities of our revamped operation, its effectiveness, flexibility, and capacity to take up production of cutting-edge equipment in almost no time, as well as boost the production rate, provided more orders come into our hands. We have made emphasis on providing at a moment’s notice transfer of technologies essential for production of our weapons to any defense facility in India. We hope that the issue of setting up production of Kalashnikov assault rifles gives way to specific solutions in the near future for us to take up implementing our mutually beneficial intentions,” added Deputy Director General Arkady Privalov of the Kalashnikov Group.

Assistance in starting production of Russian-made military equipment abroad is one of the main lines of business of Rostec’s Rosoboronexport.

During his official visit to Russia Mr. Apurva Chandra, Director General Acquisition of the Ministry of Defense of India, went to various industrial facilities and held a number of talks on future projects paving the way for broader cooperation. The Indian delegation saw the National Helicopter Building Center in Moscow, Yantar Baltic Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Almaz-Antey AD Group in St. Petersburg, and Aviastar-SP (Ulyanovsk-based Ilyushin Aviation Complex). 

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