| Asmi | |
|---|---|
 Asmi 9mm submachine gun | |
| Type | Submachine gun Machine pistol |
| Place of origin | India |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2024-present |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Lt. Colonel Prasad Bansod |
| Designed | 2020 |
| Manufacturer | Lokesh Machines Limited |
| Unit cost | est.₹50,000 (US$590) |
| Produced | August 2024 -present |
| No. built | 570 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1.7–2 kg (3.75–4.41 lb) (empty) |
| Length |
|
| Barrel length |
|
| Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum |
| Action | Straight blowback |
| Rate of fire | 600 rounds/min[2] |
| Effective firing range | 100 m |
| Feed system | 33 roundGlock magazine |
| Sights | Reflex sight[3] |
TheASMI, short forAsmita (lit. 'pride, self respect and hard work'[4][5]), is an Indiansubmachine gun designed and developed in 2020 by theArmament Research and Development Establishment.[6][7][4]
The ASMI was designed as a replacement for the 1A Carbine, India's domestically produced copy of theSterling submachine gun, which has been in service since the 1960s. Alongside the 1A, India is also somewhat reliant on imported submachine guns, such as theBrügger & Thomet MP9,Heckler & Koch MP5 andUzi.[7] It will serve as a cheaper alternative to imports, with an Asmi costing only a third as much as an MP5.[8]
In the 2000s, theDRDO developed theModern Sub Machine Carbine to attempt to replace the 1A, but it failed to meet the military's requirements. The ASMI was showcased at the 7th edition of the International Police Expo in New Delhi on 6 July 2022 and DEFEXPO 2022.
The ASMI was developed over the course of four months byLieutenant Colonel Prasad Bansod,[9] who had previous experiencereverse engineering anINSAS rifle to produce abullpupcarbine variant.[10]
In April 2024, Lokesh Machines has emerged as the L1 contender, beating the likes of PLR Systems and Jindal Defence, to clinch a contract to supply 550 9×19mm ASMI Submachine Pistols to thePara (Special Forces) of the Indian Army.
The per unit cost of the gun is around₹50,000 (US$590). The contract worth₹4.6crore (US$540,000) is particularly significant as it marks the first order for an indigenous small arm after theINSAS rifle.[11][12]
The entire 550 guns were delivered to the Indian Army by 1 October 2024. The consignment was flagged off byMajor General Rakesh Manocha, General Officer Commanding of theTelangana and Andhra sub-area.[13][14]
Unlike its predecessor, the Modern Sub Machine Carbine, the ASMI is chambered in9×19mm Parabellum,[15] a cartridge already in use in the Indian Army, giving it a major logistical advantage over the MSMC, whose round was purpose built for the design.
Similar to the Uzi, the Asmi is astraight blowback submachine gun with aside-folding stock, a low rate of fire, and itsmagazine is loaded inside of thepistol grip. The ASMI has two barrel configurations: 7.2-inch (180 mm) and 6.5-inch (170 mm) barrel, and has a weight of around 2 kilograms (4.4 lb).[16][17]
Theupper receiver is made fromaluminium, and the lower receiver is made fromcarbon fiber. The upper receiver has a full-lengthPicatinny rail, and there areM-LOK slots on the left and right side of the weapon.3D printing was utilised to make parts of the gun.[15]
Typical for a submachine gun, its main application is forclose-quarters combat, where it can be used by heavy weapon detachments, tank and aircraft crews, drivers, and radio or radar operators as apersonal defence weapon.[18]
India
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