Germany has recently lifted restrictions on the sale of small arms to India as an exception to the country reflecting the growing strategic and military ties between the two countries.
Key points
- Germany for some time has had a bar on the sale of small arms to third countries with the exception of European Union member states, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) countries and NATO-equivalent countries (Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland).
- The latest move to provide an exemption to India will pave the way for the sale of small arms from Germany to the Indian military and state police forces.
- It is Heckler & Koch, the German firm, that makes the MP5 submachine guns that are currently in use by the NSG and Indian Navy’s marine commandos (MARCOS).
