Indian Army Adds 550 ‘Asmi’ Pistols to J&K Northern Command
JAMMU, NOV 5 :The Udhampur-based strategic Northern Command gets more teeth as the Indian Army has inducted the 550 ‘Asmi’ machine pistols to further augment the Armed Forces during the combat and counter-insurgency operations in the region.
Jammu based Defence PRO on Tuesday posted on X, “#MakeInIndia #YearofTechAbsorption.”
“#EnhancingAtmanirbharta : Indigenously Developed ‘Asmi’ Machine Pistols. In a significant boost to the nation’s #Atmanirbharta initiative, #IndianArmy inducted 550 ‘Asmi’ machine pistols into the NorthernComd_IA,” Defence PRO wrote on X.
“Induction of ASMI will further strengthen the Northern Command—which is one of the strategic commands of the Indian Army and is responsible for operations and security along the country’s northern borders,” the PRO told UNI.
The Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) however, posted on X, “ Enhancing #Atmanirbharta : Indigenously Developed ‘Asmi’ Machine Pistols.”
“In a significant boost to the nation’s #Atmanirbharta initiative, #IndianArmy inducted 550 ‘Asmi’ machine pistols into #NorthernCommand. The weapon which has been developed by Colonel Prasad Bansod of the #IndianArmy, in collaboration with #DRDO is being manufactured indigenously by Lokesh Machine #Hyderabad,” the ADGPI posted.
The ‘Asmi’ machine pistol is a robust, compact and reliable weapon designed for close quarter battles and specialised operations. Its unique semi-bullpup design allows for single-handed operation both as a pistol and submachine gun, it further posted.
“This 100 percent Made-in-India weapon’s induction demonstrates the unwavering commitment of #IndianArmy towards #AtmanirbharBharat to propel the Nation towards self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing,” said the ADGPI in its post.
The defence sources, however, said that having two variants, ASMI weighs about 1.80-kg and is a single unibody 9×19 mm calibre submachine gun.
“Making it 10 to 15 per cent lighter than international competitors like the Uzi and Heckler and Koch’s MP5, ASMI has a magazine capacity of 32 rounds while the firing rate is 800 rounds per minute,” sources said.
