How to Get Permit for Airsoft Guns in India?

Firearm laws become tougher, even airguns demand allow

In a country where gun buying laws influenced by the British are considered extremely prohibitive and firearms legitimately owned past citizens and sportspersons are dangerously outnumbered past weapons in the hands of criminals and terrorists, the Center has made gun laws all the more stringent.

While no licence was earlier required to own air guns and air rifles and even toy shops could sell these, the new rules say manufacturing and selling air rifles will require specific licence under the Arms Act.(Shutterstock/Photo for representation) — While no licence was earlier required to own air guns and air rifles and even toy shops could sell these, the new rules say manufacturing and selling air rifles will require specific licence nether the Artillery Act.(Shutterstock/Photo for representation)

In a country where gun ownership laws influenced by the British are considered extremely prohibitive and firearms legitimately owned by citizens and sportspersons are dangerously outnumbered by weapons in the hands of criminals and terrorists, the Centre has made gun laws all the more than stringent.

On July 15, the Union home ministry brought into force Arms Rules 2016 through a gazette notification that not but make getting a firearm licence under the existing Indian Arms Act of 1959 more difficult but too bring air rifles, blank firing guns (which are more often than not used by the film industry), certain types of battery-powered batons that deliver electrical stupor and even paintball guns used in games under the catenary of licence.

The move has come equally a shock to gun owners, dealers and manufacturers of air guns. Members of gun dealers' associations in several states told HT that they may motility court. The endeavour to impose restrictions on air rifles is being viewed as a move influenced past animal rights activists and sustained campaign by BJP leader Maneka Gandhi.

While no licence was earlier required to own air guns and air rifles and even toy shops could sell these, the new rules say manufacturing and selling air rifles will require specific licence under the Arms Act. Also, licence will be required for whatsoever air rifle generating more than than 20 joules of energy. Though air rifles of .177 quotient — this is standard caliber or bore for all national and international competitions — will not require licence, the restriction on energy (20 joules) will apply to these too. Air rifles of bigger quotient such as .22 (5.5 mm) will be brought under licence regime and restriction on energy will apply.

"It is nil but ridiculous to direct licensing of air weapons exceeding .177 bore and asking arms dealers to maintain stock registers etc for air weapons which take nothing to do with firearms. These are used for target practice and families have endemic air guns without licence since 1947. The government should amend the rules," said Ravi Ahuja, full general secretarial assistant, All Bharat Arms Dealers' Welfare Quango.

"The Union home ministry has even made it mandatory for send companies to procure a special licence for carrying airguns, firearms and armament. This will further affect the gun trade which is already at an all-time low," said Biswajit Biswas on behalf of Kolkata Arms Dealers' Clan.

"The club on air rifles is foreign indeed. Ane can utilize a chronograph to measure the velocity of a pellet fired from an air rifle. Merely while ownership an air rifle how volition ane measure the energy without sophisticated equipment? Every bit far as the some of the other rules are concerned, I welcome the motion to increment quota of ammunition for competitive shooters," renowned shooter and Olympian, Joydeep Karmakar, told HT.

Though the new rules have fabricated certain category of firearms and ammunition eligible for possession by civilians, getting a gun licence is going to exist more hard, experience gun rights activists. "The laws on inheritance are more difficult. Owning your grandfather's gun is not going to exist as easy as it used to exist. It seems the goal is to limit the total number of licence holders in the country," said Abhijeet Singh, founder member of National Association for Gun Rights India (NAGRI) which has been fighting for liberal gun laws for two decades.

"All licence fees have been hiked. It seems these extortionate fees have been formulated assuming that only the rich urban elite own firearms. It seems they don't realise that the vast majority of gun owners in India ain ordinary unmarried/ double butt shotguns of Indian brand, which are worth no more than than Rs 5-15,000. For those people paying Rs 3000 as renewal fee is quite hard," added Singh.

Section 42 of the Rules says licence for acquisition, possession, bear or apply of arms and armament will be issued to applicants for theatrical performances and rehearsals for such performances, production of films, product of tv set programmes, historical re-enactments, signaling for starting races or able-bodied meets. In brusque, possession and apply of any blank firing gun will require a licence from now on. "Blank firing guns only produce audio and cannot hurt anyone. These should non come under licence. It is not justified at all," said Ahuja.

Interestingly, influenced by American laws the Home Ministry has made an effort to create 'gun-costless' zones in the state. Department 46 of the Rules says the owner or occupant of a property may submit an application to have the premises declared a 'Firearm Free Zone,' stating reasons and giving proof of capability to maintain the restriction.

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Tanmay Chatterjee has spent more than than two decades covering regional and national politics, internal security, intelligence, defence and corruption. He likewise plans and edits special features on subjects ranging from elections to festivals. ...view detail