Q1167. Arms License for Foreigners in India

Question: Dear Sir I am an Australian Citizen living here for 36 years. I want to go back to India and sped most of my retirement years there. I wanted to have a Pistol License when I spent 3 months there last time but I was refused on the basis that they do not issue arms license to people with overseas citizenship.

Is there any way around it as I personally know few people who are overseas citizens and holders of arms license I India Paul Sandhu

Answer: To get an arms license in India you need to be an Indian resident and show the reason as to why you require an arms license. Your friends who you say are overseas citizens (OIC holders) are probably living permanently in India and have managed to acquire an arms license having convinced the authorities that they genuinely need a license.