Weapons — India

You need an Indian licence to have a firearm in India, and a visitor will not hold one. Section 3(1) of the Arms Act, 1959 provides that "No person shall acquire, have in his possession, or carry any firearm or ammunition unless he holds in this behalf a licence" issued under the Act. The Act's definition of "arms" in s. 2(1)(c) reaches past guns to "articles of any description designed or adapted as weapons for offence or defence" and "includes firearms, sharpedged and other deadly weapons", while excluding articles designed solely for domestic or agricultural uses. Section 4 lets the Central Government extend the licence requirement to arms of a specified class or description in a specified area, so what may lawfully be carried differs by state and district.

Unlicensed acquisition, possession or carrying is punishable under s. 25: not less than 3 years and up to 7 years for the s. 25(1) offences, and not less than 7 years up to imprisonment for life for prohibited arms under s. 25(1AA). The Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019 (No. 48 of 2019, assented 13 December 2019) substituted a term of not less than 7 years up to imprisonment for life in s. 25(1)(c) and cut the firearms a licensee may hold from three to two.

Verified Oct 8, 2026