FOLLOWING QUERIES from several countries, especially Israel and the United States, on permission to carry automatic and long-range weapons for the G20 summit later this year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is learnt to have advised that only short-range and manually-operated weapons like pistols and revolvers should be allowed. The issue was discussed at a coordination meeting held recently to review the preparedness and security arrangements for VVIPs. The meeting, chaired by the chief of protocol from the MEA, was attended by officials of the MHA, MEA, Intelligence Bureau, Special Protection Group (SPG) and Customs among others. “The chief of protocol is learnt to have raised the queries from foreign delegations, particularly Israel and the US, regarding permission to bring in automatic and long-range weapons,” said a source. “The SPG representative is learnt to have informed the meeting that they don't carry long-range weapons during foreign visits, except in some neighbouring countries. The MEA and SPG officials also pointed out that several countries are increasingly putting a moratorium on carrying weapons during VVIP visits; in some instances, weapons are not even allowed on VVIP aircraft,” said another source. The MHA is then learnt to have suggested that only short-range and manually-operated weapons like pistols and revolvers should be allowed. “Since the larger area security is with India, and the visiting security team only has a role in the close proximate area, there is no logic in allowing automatic and long-range weapons to the visiting security teams,” said a source. All requests from foreign delegations for carrying weapons will be forwarded to the MHA. “All requests for bringing weapons and ammunition, including details on the number and type of weapons, rounds of ammunition and period of stay, will be examined by the MHA in relation to general threat perception. And after granting permission, all the concerned agencies, including the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the Customs department, will be informed,” said a source. The MHA has asked the Customs to maintain a record of the ingress/ egress of weapons, and share it with all the concerned agencies. “In case of a mismatch of records, the MEA will take up the matter with the embassy concerned. It will also send a communication to the concerned embassies in Delhi, asking them to provide details of weapons/ ammunition held by them and tally it as per the permission granted,” said the source. The issue of immunity to security personnel accompanying foreign dignitaries in case of intentional or unintentional discharge of weapons is also learnt to have been discussed at the meeting.
