作者： bharat.cn

Iconic rifle of choice
Soviet tank mechanic Mikhail Kalashnikov finalized the design of the original Avtomat Kalashnikova (Automatic Kalashnikov) in 1947. Known for reliability and ease of use, his AK-47 has since become the iconic weapon of choice around the world. It is estimated that one in five firearms – about 100 million – on the planet today is a Kalashnikov of some kind.

The AK-203 is the export version of the AK-12, which is currently being phased into Russia’s own armed services as the standard assault rifle. Unlike the AK-12, it uses 7.92x39mm rounds, and India has long preferred the 7.62x51mm NATO caliber.

What the slightly shorter rounds of the AK-203 may lack in range and accuracy, the rifle makes up in reliability. It is rugged and easy to use, which is perfect in the tough conditions of the Indian frontier, such as deserts or mountains. It is also easy to repair, and if the AK-47 is anything to go by, can last 20-40 years.

Every other soldier of India’s million-strong army may soon be armed with a domestically made AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifle, as a final deal with Russia might be taking shape at the DefExpo in Lucknow.
New Delhi is keen to order 670,000 Kalashnikovs from the joint venture established last year with the eponymous Russian conglomerate. A factory has already been built for the purpose in the northern district of Amethi. However, the initial cost of production and technology transfer is driving up the prices of Kalashnikovs, arguably the most famous assault rifles in the world for over two generations.

The two partners in the joint venture are presently engaged in bringing down the cost from $1,000 per rifle to something more affordable. Even though the AK-203 is a vastly improved and advanced version of the rifle, its iconic predecessor, the AK-47, can be bought for a few hundred dollars in the global arms market.

The brother of Asia’s richest man has pleaded poverty in his dispute with three Chinese banks seeking US$680 million (HK$5.28 billion) in defaulted loans.
“The value of my investments has collapsed,” Anil Ambani said, according to a court filing by the banks in a London lawsuit. “The current value of my shareholdings is down to around US$82.4m and my net worth is zero after taking into account my liabilities. In summary, I do not hold any meaningful assets which can be liquidated for the purposes of these proceedings.”
The lawsuit was filed by three state-controlled Chinese banks which argue that they provided a loan of US$925 million to Ambani’s Reliance Communications in 2012 with the condition that he personally guarantee the debt. The comments were disclosed on Friday as Ambani sought to avoid depositing hundreds of millions of dollars with the court ahead of a trial.
The embattled Indian tycoon says that while he agreed to give a non-binding “personal comfort letter,” he never gave a guarantee tied to his personal assets – an “extraordinary potential personal liability.”
The 60-year-old is the brother of Mukesh Ambani, who is worth US$56.5 billion and is the wealthiest man in Asia. Anil, on the other hand, has seen his personal fortune dwindle in recent years, losing his billionaire status. His telecommunications group Reliance Communications filed for bankruptcy last year.

The banks asked Judge David Waksman to force Anil Ambani to put up US$656 million into the court’s account.