Northern Command of Army inducts Indigenous 550 Asmi machine pistols

The Northern Command of the Indian Army has successfully inducted 550 indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured Asmi machine pistols. The Asmi machine pistols are manufactured by Hyderabad-based Lokesh Machine Limited. 

Earlier, the company successfully delivered 550 indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured  Asmi submachine guns to the Northern Command of the Indian Army. 

The induction of the Asmi submachine guns and machine pistols marks an important landmark in the Indian Army’s commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and support for the Indigenous defence industry.

Developer of the Asmi Machine Pistol

The Asmi is short for Asmita, which means pride in Hindi. Colonel Prasad Bansod of the Indian Army designed the Asmi pistol in partnership with the central government’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The technology was transferred to Lokesh Machine Limited for manufacturing purposes. 

The weapon was manufactured by Lokesh Machine Limited at its Toorpan factory in the Medak district of Telangana. 

Features of the Asmi Machine Pistol

The Asmi pistol has been designed accroding to the specifications of the Indian Army for close-quarter combats and for special operations conducted against the terrorists and insurgents. 

The weapon is called a machine pistol because it can used both as a pistol or as a submachine gun and can be operated single-handedly. This dual feature of the weapon is due to its unique semi-bullpup design. Due to its unique bullpup design, the Asmi’s machine pistol's overall length can be significantly decreased without reducing the barrel length.

US Sanction Lokesh Machine Limited and 14 other Indian companies 

The United States Department of Treasury(Finance Ministry) has sanctioned 15 Indian companies, including Lokesh Machines Limited, for their alleged support to  Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. The Indian companies are among 275 individuals and companies from China, Switzerland, Thailand, and Turkiye sanctioned by the United States for supplying Russia with advanced technology and machines to support its war effort in Ukraine.

Lokesh Machine Limited was set up in 1983 in Hyderabad by M. Lokeshwar Rao, a former Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) employee. The company manufactures CNC(computer numerical control) machines. It later diversified into the manufacture of small arms.

The company has been exporting CNC machines to Russia since 2011 and has denied exporting any machines that can be used in the Russian defence sectors.