October 4, 2019
The jackets have been made using standards set by the Bureau of India Standards (BIS), following the directions of Niti Aayog and Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI
The standard is expected to assist the army, paramilitary, and police in streamlining their equipment procurement process, increasing availability of bulletproof jackets
The bulletproof jackets made in India are lightweight and in price range of US$950-1150, which is considerably cheaper than those being procured earlier
Central Armed Police Forces such as the CRPF, BSF, SSB, CISF, NSG have already initiated the process of procuring the India-made bulletproof jackets
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Shri Ram Vilas Paswan recently showcased the bullet-resistant jackets being made under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The jackets have been made using standards set by the Bureau of India Standards (BIS), which has been formulated following the directions of Niti Aayog and Ministry of Home Affairs. The standard is expected to fulfil the long-pending demands of Indian Armed Forces, Paramilitary Forces, and State Police Forces, and will assist them in streamlining their procurement process.
India has now joined a select league of nations such as the US, the UK and Germany to have its own standard for bullet resistant jackets. These jackets are lightweight (between 5 to 10 kgs depending on the threat level) and are in the price range of US$ 950-1150, which is considerably cheaper than the jackets that were being procured earlier. They have a dynamic weight distribution system, which makes them feel half their actual weight. They also have an easy open-and-release system to ensure that soldiers can easily wear the jackets and use weapons with ease while getting 360 degree protection from bullets.
The minister also expressed happiness at the fact that these jackets are being manufactured under the government’s “Make in India” initiative and are already being exported to other nations. This will lead to an increase in employment generation across the nation. Central Armed Police Forces like CRPF, BSF, SSB, CISF, NSG etc. have already initiated the process of procuring such jackets as per the Indian Standard set by BIS.
Responsibilities of protecting the world’s fastest-growing major economy has pushed up India’s defence budget every year, making the nation one of the top five spenders on defence and security. India is one of the largest importers of conventional defence equipment and spends around 30 per cent of its annual defence budget on capital acquisitions. To reduce the import bill, the Government has encouraged indigenous manufacturing. The Indian defence budget for financial year 2019-20 has been pegged at around US$47.6 billion. India aims to achieve technical capabilities and economies of scale for its indigenous industry to reach a turnover of over US$25 billion in military goods and services by 2025.