The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled a draft policy for regulating production and supply of arms and ammunition in the private sector. The policy supports the existing norm for production in private sector and stipulates certain conditions with a view to ‘prevent diversion to unauthorized hands.’ Under the draft guidelines, only big private companies willing to invest more than Rs. 50 crores (subject to maximum 26 per cent FDI) would be issued industrial licenses by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in consultation with the MHA to produce various arms and ammunitions. However, the supply of such items, except for sports weapons and the like, are strictly restricted to the defence forces, paramilitary forces and state governments. To enable the government to monitor the activities of producers, the policy authorizes the District Magistrate of the concerned area to conduct inspection and file report to the secretaries both at state and central levels.1

• 1. Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, ‘Draft arms and ammunition manufacturing policy – comments of general public reg’, http://www.mha.nic.in/writereaddata/12614144381_DAAM-Policy-211209.pdf