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BS. It’s not.

All you need to do is fill up a form at the nearest police station, and get a background check done.

Who’s the Indian FReeper who says a citizen can’t possess a firearm in India?

http://www.abhijeetsingh.com/arms/india/stats/

INDIA

Governance: Federal republic

FIREARMS OWNERSHIP
Percentage of Households with Firearms: Not known

Estimated Number of Firearms: There are an estimated 40 million firearms in India, the majority of which are illicit. India accounts for the majority of small arms in South Asia, which has an estimated 75 million firearms (63 million of which are in civilian possession). (3)

Types of Legal Firearms:

Relevant law - Arms Act, 1959 & Arms Rules, 1962.

Prohibited Bores

Prohibited Bores - Arms Rules, 1962 - Schedule I - categories I(b) and I(c).
MHA - sole licensing authority - w.e.f 8.8.1987.
Applications to be made through the local licensing authorities/State/U.T. Governments.
Non Prohibited Bores

Non-Prohibited Bores - Arms Rules, 1962 - Schedule I - category III.
District Magistrate/Collector - licensing authority - license for the whole State or part thereof.
All India or part license - granted by the State/U.T. Governments only.
Renewing authority - DM/Collector.
Applications in Form-A - available in the Collectorates/DM’s offices.

Purposes of Lawful Firearms Ownership: Target-shooting, protection of person or property and private security. Firearm ownership is not permitted for the purposes of collecting or for hunting of game for sport or food. (2)

DOMESTIC FIREARM LEGISLATION (2)
India’s domestic policy on small arms and light weapons is regulated under the Arms Act (1959) and Arms Rules (1962). Due to the gravity of the problem of the proliferation of illicit SALW (Small Arms Light Weapons) and their misuse in terrorist activities, India has, since 1987, withdrawn substantially the license issuing powers of State and District authorities - who may not, now, issue licenses for prohibited bore weapons. Since 1987, their powers have been limited to issuing licences for non-prohibited bore weapons and these licenses are valid for a limited geographical area. Licenses for possession of prohibited bore weapons may only be issued, under special conditions, by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. (4)

Licensing Requirements: All firearm owners must be licensed. Applicants must provide information regarding:

their date of birth;
the availability of a safe place to store the firearm and ammunition;
the purpose for which they require a firearm;
any previous criminal record or prohibition to possess a firearm. However, if the report of the police officer is not sent within the prescribed time limit (3 months), the licensing authority may grant the licence. (2)
The applicant must present photographic identification and pay the prescribed fee for that firearm. (2) Under the existing law, all civilians are required to get their weapon /s inspected once a year by a competent authority - this is also recorded in the licence. (4)

The licensing authority may also refuse the licence for which he will record the reasons. The licensing authority may refuse to grant the licence if the applicant:

is of unsound mind;
is below the age of 16;
is deemed by the licensing authority to be a threat to the security of the public peace;
has been sentenced on conviction of any offence involving violence to imprisonment for any term at any time during a period of 5 years after the expiration of the sentence;
has been ordered to execute a bond for keeping the peace or for good behaviour at any time during the term of the bond. (2) (6)
The licensing authorities maintain list of firearm owners and the firearms held by them. No centralised database is maintained about firearm ownership and the identification of firearm. Every police station maintains a register of the licence holders in its jurisdiction, with the name of the licensee, description of weapon and its purpose. This list is updated from time to time. The licences are renewed after the prescribed period mentioned in the license or 3 years, whichever is earlier. Any police officer or other officer specially empowered on this behalf by the Central Government can demand the production of licence from the person carrying firearms or ammunition. The licensee is required to inform the licensing authorities of any change of place of residence. (2)

Registration Requirements: All small arms manufactured in India are uniquely marked by stamping to indicate the registration number, manufacturer/factory of origin and the year of manufacture on one or more of the critical components of a small arm - the body, the breech block and the barrel - during the final stages of production. This applies to arms that are produced for private/personal use and those which are used by armed forces, police or paramilitary forces. Allotment of these registration numbers for the armed forces/police and para-military forces is done centrally and a record is maintained of these registration numbers along with the indent. This provides for a double check on the records. A record of each and every weapon manufactured by the factory is kept along with the information on the concerned dealer. Arms which do not bear specified identification marks may not be sold or transferred. Further, any person found in possession of a weapon without identification marks would be presumed to have removed/obliterated the marks unless proven otherwise. (4)

Training Requirements: No training certification is required. However, some state governments do require such a certificate from professional bodies. (2)

Storage Requirements: The firearm must be stored in the safe place described by the owner in his or her licence application. There is no regulation regarding safety in domestic custody by the owner except the initial assurance of availability of safe place to keep arms in his application for grant of licence. (2)

Penalties: Penalties for violations of firearm laws include:

Imprisonment varying from six months to life with or without fine.
Minimum imprisonment with a fine (prescribed in most of the cases of contraventions).
The death penalty (prescribed when someone has used prohibited firearms and prohibited ammunition or has contravened licensing conditions in any act leading to death). (2)
For the following infractions, punishment is the payment of a fine in addition to imprisonment for no less than three years and no more than seven years:

manufacturing, selling, transferring, converting, repairing, testing or possessing any arms or ammunition contravened by the Arms Act ;
shortens the barrel of a firearm or converts an imitation firearm into a firearm that contravenes the Arms Act ;
brings into, or takes out of, India, any arms or ammunition of any class or description in contravention of the Act . (6)