New Delhi, April 27 -- Germany has granted a license to India to purchase small arms from German companies, officials say.

This marks a major relaxation of Germany's longstanding policy restricting the sale of small arms to only European Union members, NATO countries, and a few others.

"Beginning of April, Germany granted a small arms license to India, which is a huge exception," a source stated, reported hindu.

The license will allow India to procure spare parts and accessories for the MP5 submachine guns used extensively by its National Security Guard forces.

Germany has also simplified its licensing requirements for military equipment sales to India more broadly.

Officials noted that around 95 per cent of recent licensing requests...