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The INSAS was initially built with features borrowed from several different rifles and was not made to meet the specific requirements of the Indian security forces. This amalgamated design while serving the Army for over 30 years, has started to fall behind the needs of modern warfare.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Datta|first=Saikat|title=Why is the Indian Army still using outdated assault rifles designed in the 1980s?|url=https://scroll.in/article/842307/why-is-the-indian-army-still-using-outdated-assault-rifles-designed-in-the-1980s|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref> In recent years the rifle has come under increasing scrutiny, with several issues, surfacing from frontline forces that have inhibited operational capabilities. For example, the plastic magazine of the rifle has repeatedly cracked under cold weather conditions and has reportedly even overheated during long battles leading to malfunctions, making it an unreliable choice for a standard issue rifle.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Beckhusen|first=Robert|date=2016-08-31|title=India’s Anti-Terror Troops Despise Their Assault Rifle|url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/indias-anti-terror-troops-despise-their-assault-rifle-3fcafa392aaa|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref> Due to these repeated downfalls, In April 2015, the Indian government even had to replace some INSAS rifles of the [[CRPF]] with AKM variants to ensure greater success in the CRPF's fight against [[Naxalites]].<ref name="AK-47sTeethPio">{{cite news|title=AK-47s to arm CRPF to teeth|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-newspaper/ak-47s-to-arm-crpf-to-teeth.html|accessdate=23 February 2016|work=Daily Pioneer|date=25 April 2015}}</ref> Therefore, owing to these failures and the changing needs of the armed forces, it was announced in early 2017 that the INSAS rifles would be retired and replaced by a weapon capable of firing the larger [[7.62×51mm NATO]] cartridges.<ref name="RetirementAndReplacement">{{cite news|title=INSAS rifles to retire; to be replaced by imported weapons|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/insas-rifles-to-retire-to-be-replaced-by-imported-weapons/articleshow/57479939.cms|accessdate=16 April 2017|date=5 March 2017|work=The Economic Times}}</ref>
As part of the replacement process, the new Kalashnikov rifle was to be made in a joint venture production facility located in [[Amethi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite news |title=In Amethi, PM Modi To Dedicate A Firm For Manufacturing AK Assault Rifles |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-amethi-pm-modi-to-dedicate-a-firm-for-manufacturing-ak-assault-rifles-2001713 |accessdate=4 March 2019 |work=NDTV |agency=ANI |date=22 March 2019}}</ref> The factory manufactures the [[AK-203]] variant of the [[Kalashnikov family]] of rifles, which along with the [[SIG716]], manufactured by United States-based [[SIG Sauer]] will replace the INSAS rifles as well as the AK-47s.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shukla|first1=Ajai|title=PM Modi inaugurates India-Russia JV to build Kalashnikov rifles in Amethi|work=Business Standard|issue=4 March 2019|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/pm-modi-inaugurates-india-russia-jv-to-build-kalashnikov-rifles-in-amethi-119030300508_1.html|accessdate=4 March 2019}}</ref> The first batch of 10,000 SIG Sauer rifles were delivered in December 2019.<ref name="indtodaysig716">{{cite news |last1=Negi |first1=Manjeet Singh |title=Indian Army received first batch American assault rifles for operations in Jammu and Kashmir |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-army-american-sig-sauer-assault-rifles-jammu-and-kashmir-1627274-2019-12-11 |accessdate=11 December 2019 |work=India Today |date=11 December 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
==Product==
The IRRPL has been licensed to produce 750,000 [[AK-203]] assault rifles chambered for 7.62×39mm. The AK-203 is a modernized 200 series [[AK-103]] variant and one of the modern derivatives of the Russian [[Kalashnikov rifle|AK-Pattern]] series of assault rifles. The 200 series are technically based on the [[AK-100 (rifle family)|AK-100 family]] and the more expensive [[AK-12]] rifle family.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://modernfirearms.net/en/assault-rifles/ak-200-2/|title=200 series Kalashnikov assault rifle: AK-200, AK-201, AK-202, AK-203, AK-204, AK-205 (Russia)|website=modernfirearms.net|date=}}</ref> The AK-203 is reported as the latest and most advanced version of the most abundant firearm in the world, the [[AK-47]] assault rifle.<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite news|title=Explained: The new AK-203, and its legendary ancestor, the AK-47|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-the-new-ak-203-and-its-legendary-ancestor-the-ak-47-5611205/|accessdate=5 March 2019|work=The Indian Express|date=5 March 2019|language=en-IN}}</ref>
During the Defence Expo 2020 in Lucknow, Major General Sengar announced that the IRRPL facility in Amethi would produce 75,000 AK-203 annually for 10 years.
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