India’s first indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured (IDDM) sub-machine gun, the Asmi, has now evolved into a family of weapons with the introduction of a third variant. 

This new variant builds upon the existing two versions of the Asmi: Asmi Compact with a 6.2-inch barrel and a 100-metre range, designed for ultra-close quarters. The Standard Asmi with a 7.5-inch barrel and an effective range of 100 metres. 

Chakra Newz has learned that the third version of the Asmi in development has a 9 inch barrel with a range exceeding 100 metres. Photographs of the weapon show it has a AR-15 type telescoping buttstock for better stability and ergonomics.

This is inline with the Uzi family of weapons which features similar variants.

Designed by Col Prasad Bansod, a serving Army officer, in collaboration with DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) scientist Bhupinder Singh, the Asmi SMG was first unveiled in 2021. It uses the widely available 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge and operates on a straight blowback mechanism. The weapon features a 30-round box magazine and is built using a lightweight aluminium upper receiver and a carbon fibre lower receiver.

In 2024, the Indian Army’s Northern Command placed its first order for 550 units of the Asmi, which were delivered to the Para (Special Forces) by Lokesh Machines Ltd, Hyderabad. The company won the order over competing bids from Jindal Defence and Adani-PLR Systems.

Tailored for Multiple Use Cases
The growing Asmi family caters to a wide range of operational roles:

Special Forces and Close Protection Units (VIP Bodyguards) benefit from its compactness and low recoil, ideal for urban and close-quarter combat.

Tank and Armoured Vehicle Crews will appreciate its lightweight and compact size for easy handling in confined spaces.

Aviation Crews can use it as a personal defence weapon due to its reliability and rapid deployment capability.

The Asmi is expected to eventually replace the ageing SAF Carbine 1A, a license-built version of the Sterling L2A1. The 1A, despite being outdated and plagued by reliability issues, continues to be used in limited numbers by Indian armed forces and paramilitary units. Its long-overdue replacement has led to the ad hoc import of foreign SMGs such as the MP5, MP9, and Uzi.

With its modular design, indigenous pedigree, and growing versatility, the Asmi SMG family is poised to become the standard close-combat weapon across India’s defence and internal security forces.

The Asmi Submachine Gun family includes the standard 7.5 inch barrel Asmi Submachine Gun, the 6.5 inch barrel Asmi Compact and the 9.5 inch Asmi.

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