Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a manufacturing unit of AK-203 rifles in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi, PTI reported. Modi addressed his first rally in Amethi, which is represented by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha, since coming to power in 2014.

Modi said the rifles will be manufactured in Amethi under a joint venture between India and Russia. He said the rifles will be known as “Made in Amethi” and will help security forces in militant encounters.

Modi expressed his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for making the venture possible in “such a short time by his support”, according to ANI.

Modi accused previous governments of neglecting the armed forces, adding that the manufacture of AK-203, a modernised version of the AK-47, should have started more than eight years ago.

Attacking the United Progressive Alliance government, Modi said, “These people sat on Rafale deal for years and when it was time for their government to go, they pushed it into cold storage. When our government assumed office, we finalised it in one-and-a-half years...and the first Rafale aircraft will be in our skies soon.”

The prime minister inaugurated also inaugurated development projects worth Rs 538 crore.

Also read: Indians feel Rafale jets may have changed result, claims Narendra Modi

Modi said Amethi, which has traditionally been loyal to the Gandhi family, was the best example of his government’s “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” motto. “Those who voted for us and those who did not...all are ours,” Modi said. “Some people have the habit of forgetting the public after getting votes. They want to keep the poor in poverty, so they can say ‘gareebi hatao’ [eliminate poverty] generation after generation. We are giving strength to the poor to bring them out of poverty,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, who was present at the launch of the project, said: “When 7,50,000 AK-203 rifles made here will be in the hands of our jawans, the condition of the enemies will be the same as it was after air strikes and surgical strike.”

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union minister Smriti Irani were also present at the event in Amethi.

‘Rifle plant a symbol of friendship’: Putin’s message to India

Sitharaman read out a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin during the inauguration of the rifle manufacturing unit.

“The new joint venture will manufacture world famous Kalashnikov assault rifles of the newest 200 series and eventually will reach full localisation of production,” Putin said in his message, according to PTI. “Thus, the Indian defence-industrial sector will have the opportunity to fulfil the needs of national security agencies in this category of small arms, resting upon advanced Russian technologies.”

Military and technical cooperation has traditionally been one of the key areas of the strategic partnership between Russia and India, he said. The message said the two countries reached an agreement in October when Putin visited India. “The plant itself will become another symbol of friendship and constructive cooperation between our two countries,” Putin’s message said.