Kalashnikov Group brings its broadest product Range Yet to India Homeland Security Expo 2026

 

 

New Delhi will take centre stage in the international defence calendar this June, as Pragati Maidan prepares to host the 10th India Homeland Security Expo on 24 and 25 June 2026. The annual event draws security professionals, procurement officials, and defence industry leaders from across the region, with its programme covering small arms, counterterrorism solutions, cutting-edge military technology, and electronic protection systems. This year, Russia’s Kalashnikov Group will arrive with one of its most ambitious exhibition footprints in the Indian market- a 72-square-metre stand at position B31, and a product lineup that is largely new to Indian audiences.

The scale of the exhibit is deliberate. Kalashnikov is not presenting a curated selection of flagship products, it is bringing multiple product verticals under one roof, spanning naval platforms, aerial systems, firearms, and field survival equipment. For many visitors, it will be the first direct encounter with the full scope of what the group manufactures today.

A Product Range Built for Modern Security Challenges

The Husky-20 hovercraft opens the exhibit on the naval side. With a payload capacity of up to 20 tonnes, it is built for operations in terrain where conventional watercraft cannot function- shallow water, marshland, ice, and coastline. It represents Kalashnikov’s shipbuilding arm, a segment of the business that remains less visible internationally but has been a consistent area of development.

In small arms, the MR1 carbine- a .308 caliber police sniper rifle developed from the world-famous Dragunov rifle, will make its India debut alongside two counter-UAV shotguns: the Saiga and the MR-155, both using anti-drone 12 GA cartridges specially designed to take down FPV drones. The inclusion of dedicated counter-drone firearms reflects how rapidly the threat landscape has shifted. Drone-based attacks, once considered exceptional, are now a routine operational consideration for security forces in conflict zones and border regions alike.

The unmanned aerial systems on display may draw the most attention. Kalashnikov will present two ultralight UAVs- the Karakurt and the Goliath, built for rapid deployment in environments where larger systems are impractical. Alongside them is the SKAT 350 M “GARUDA”, a reconnaissance UAV that has already made a mark before reaching the Indian audience. During high-altitude testing in the Himalayas, the GARUDA reached an operational altitude of 9,500 metres, setting a world record in its class. Critically, the system is built to remain functional in conditions of active electronic warfare- a specification that has moved from desirable to essential in contemporary reconnaissance operations. For a country with India’s geographic and strategic profile, a drone that has been tested and proven at Himalayan altitudes carries particular relevance.

Completing the exhibit is a set of products focused on keeping soldiers alive and operational in the field. The Aquapor individual water filter, built on track-etched membrane technology, allows water drawn from any source to be made safe for drinking, relevant wherever supply lines are stretched or compromised. The North flameless chemical food heater activates with water or snow, producing heat without an open flame, which removes risk in cold conditions or situations where visibility must be maintained. Kalashnikov has also produced a line of uniform kits purpose-built for cold, high-altitude environments, developed in recognition that standard military clothing is often inadequate where altitude and temperature combine.

A Partnership with Roots Already in Place

What distinguishes Kalashnikov’s position in India from that of many other international defence exhibitors is that cooperation between the two sides is not theoretical. Since 2021, the group’s joint venture- Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), operating out of Uttar Pradesh, has been producing AK-203 rifles on Indian soil. The rifles have accumulated operational experience and established credibility with end users. The AK-203 manufacturing programme reflects a broader shift from a traditional buyer-seller relationship toward localised production and long-term industrial cooperation. That foundation is what Kalashnikov now intends to build outward from.

The expo appearance signals that Kalashnikov views India not as a one-product market, but as a platform for wider engagement across its portfolio.

Maxim Karavaev, Director of Business Development in India at Kalashnikov Group JSC, outlined where the group sees the relationship heading: “India plays a key role in our group’s global strategy. Since 2021, our joint venture, Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), in the state of Uttar Pradesh, has been producing AK-203 rifles, which have earned a reputation as a reliable weapon. We are ready to substantially expand our cooperation and to cover other traditionally strong segments of the group, such as UAV development, shipbuilding, tactical medicine, special uniforms, and other high-technology fields. Almost all of the product samples on display have been successfully tested in combat conditions during the special military operation and have received positive feedback from service members.”

The range of sectors Karavaev names- UAVs, shipbuilding, tactical medicine, specialised uniforms, maps directly onto what will be present at stand B31. The expo is, in that sense, both an introduction and a proposal.

The Group Behind the Name

Kalashnikov Group is the dominant force in Russian small arms manufacturing, responsible for roughly 95% of domestic small arms production and approximately 25% of all automatic small arms produced globally. It exports to more than 25 countries. The product range today extends well beyond firearms- UAVs, high-speed assault boats, high-precision missile systems, and specialised transport equipment all fall within the group’s manufacturing scope.

The name itself carries a history that requires little introduction. Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, born in 1919, designed his first weapon concept during recovery from war wounds sustained in 1941. The assault rifle that emerged from his work- formally adopted by the Soviet Army in 1949 and manufactured at the Izhevsk plant- went on to become the most produced firearm in history, with over 70 million units built across its various configurations. Its reputation rests not on complexity but on the opposite: a design so reliable and straightforward to maintain that it became the standard against which other assault rifles are measured. Several nations have incorporated its image into their national symbols- a distinction no other modern firearm shares.

Mikhail Kalashnikov spent more than six decades at Izhevsk, contributing to over a hundred weapon designs before his death in December 2013. The group that carries his name continues under the same core principle- products that perform when conditions are hardest. That continuity of purpose is visible across everything that will be on show at Pragati Maidan, from the GARUDA’s record-breaking altitude performance to the quiet reliability of the Aquapor filter.

With products spanning small arms, unmanned systems, mobility platforms, and soldier-support technologies, Kalashnikov’s presence at India Homeland Security Expo 2026 underscores its intention to deepen engagement with India across multiple areas of defence and security cooperation.

Visitors will be able to explore the group’s latest capabilities at stand B31 on 24 and 25 June.