BY S VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, September 23:

Famous British handgun manufacturing giant Webley & Scott (W&S) will begin manufacturing its arms in India in November this year. It will be the first foreign company to manufacture firearms in India.

W&S had armed the Allied forces during the two World Wars, and has produced weapons for at least 15 countries. Production will begin from its new unit in Uttar Pradesh’s Sandila (Hardoi), 30 km from Lucknow.

The firearms manufacturing company has joined hands with Lucknow-based Sial Manufacturers Pvt Ltd for the project. It will begin operations with the production of revolvers. The new unit will manufacture its .32 revolver in the first phase.

Speaking from Birmingham, W&S’s co-owner John Bright told The Times of India: “Later, we will manufacture pistols, airguns, shotgun and ammunition as well.”

He said the company decided to invest in India keeping in view the vast market potential.

The idea to expand the company’s business got shape after discussions with the Sial family in 2018.

“We entered a new joint venture for the manufacture of firearms and airguns in India for the Indian domestic market. We got the licence to manufacture firearms in India in 2019. The original design of the Mark IV .32 pistol of 1899 will be used to cater to the Indian market in the first phase,” Bright said.

A team of 15 experts from England visited India to set up the facility in Sandila, which took them four months.

Joginder Pal Singh Sial of Sial Manufacturers, the all-India distributor of W&S products, said: “The government’s support and the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ policy helped the project take final shape.”

“The cost of the .32 revolver will be INR 1,60,000. We will give stiff competition to the arms manufactured by ordnance factories. People will now get world-class weapons at their doorsteps,” he added.