Russia's Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Vladimir Drozhzhov told reporters that the contract between the Indian Defence Ministry and the Russian-Indian joint venture and on deliveries of Russian Kalashnikov assault rifles may be signed soon.

"As for the Kalashnikov guns, for the first time in such a short time, we were able to create a joint venture [in the town of Korwa] and sign an agreement. It should be noted here that this was the political will of the two heads of state. We received a request for deliveries of more than 600,000 rifles. Currently, the joint venture is preparing a corresponding proposal for the Indian Defence Ministry. I think that these proposals from the joint venture should be sent to the Indian Defence Ministry in July. I hope that the corresponding contract between the joint venture and the Indian Defence Ministry will be signed [soon]", he announced.

In March, Russia and India inaugurated a plant, dubbed Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited, that would be producing AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles in Korwa, Uttar Pradesh. According to Director General of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheev, the capacity of the plant would allow India to fully equip its forces with the rifles.

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