MHA eases norms for small arms...

Continued from Page 1 the revised norms, the fee would range from `5,000 to a maximum of `50,000 payable at the time of grant of license rather than at the time of application.

The condition that small arms and light weapons produced by manufacturer shall be sold to the Central government or state governments only with the prior approval of the home ministry has also been done away with.

The new rules will also be applicable to licences granted by the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) for tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, defence aircrafts, space crafts, warships of all kinds, arms and ammunition and allied items of defence equipment other than small arms.

The move is likely to encourage employment generation in the field of manufacturing of arms and ammunition and increase investment, which would further push production in this sector.

Home ministry officials said the new liberalised norms will also help in the availability of state-of-theart technology and weapons to Indian armed and police forces and the move was in line with the government’s plan for defence indigenisation programme.

The home ministry has issued a notification under the Arms (Amendment) Rules, 2017, to implement the new norms with immediate effect.