The Indian Army‘s new combat uniform was introduced on 15th January, celebrated as Army Day every year in India. A contingent of Parachute Regiment commandos dressed in the new uniforms marched in the Army Day parade held at the Cariappa ground. The new combat uniform revealed on Saturday is light weighted, comfortable to wear, has a digitally disruptive pattern, and can be worn in different climatic conditions.
The design for the new uniform is made in India. It is done in collaboration with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) after the Indian Army shared the specifications. At NIFT Delhi, a group of 7 faculty members was in charge of designing a new uniform to replace the old uniform that had been in use since 2008. 4 distinct fabrics, 8 designs, and nearly 15 patterns were examined before finalizing the design. The old uniform was heavier, almost like denim. The uniform was highly uncomfortable to wear in some weather conditions, especially in rain as the trouser and jacket would simply not dry in humid conditions.
The new design incorporates several clever changes to the fabric, weight, and camouflage pattern. The Indian Army‘s new uniform has several unique features and characteristics, like a mix of colours such as olive and earthen. Army Uniform has been designed considering the areas of deployment of troops and the climatic conditions in which they operate. The new uniform is comfortable to wear as it has an ergonomic design. The yarn’s composition has not changed much, the material composition is of cotton and polyester in a 70:30 ratio. Uniform is lightweight, perfectly suitable for a humid climatic condition, as it will dry quickly in case of rain.
According to the sources, the shirt in the new uniform does not have to be tucked in, concealing the belt buckle. Another distinction is the round-neck T-shirt which is worn beneath the shirt. The set contains a combat t-shirt and a shirt. The jacket has angular top pockets, lower pockets with vertical openings, a pen holder on the left forearm, knife pleats at the back, a pocket on the left sleeve, and higher-quality buttons. The new trousers have a double groin layer and are adjustable at the waist with elastic and buttons. The girth is adjustable in the cap, the Army logo is of noticeably higher quality.
This new uniform is effective in operations. “Effectivity” of the uniform implies that one uniform can be worn in a variety of settings, from the hills and mountains of Kashmir to the green hillsides of the northeastern part. As well as the “beiges and browns of the desert”.
The new uniform has eliminated the need for different uniforms earlier there used to be different uniforms for dessert warfare and jungle warfare.
The new uniform was designed after studying combat uniforms from various other countries’ armies. The uniform features a digital pattern similar to the army uniform of many countries. It has a close resemblance to that of the United States Army and is also popularly used in China. Digital camouflage is in dark colours; it will aid in the differentiation of paramilitary forces from the Army.
According to the source information, the new combat uniforms will not be freely available in the market. In the case of the old uniforms, soldiers used to easily purchase fabric from the free market and get their uniforms stitched. As the existing uniform is heavily replicated as the pattern is widely available in the open market even though it is illegal to sell it. The biggest advantage of the new uniform is th at the design pattern is difficult to replicate as the same design is done digitally in it.
A contingent of army officials marched on the Republic Day parade wearing the new combat uniforms. The current stock of combat uniforms will last for about two years. In turn, the supply order for the lighter, better, and climate-friendly uniforms would be placed by the end of this year. The new combat uniform will be available in 13 sizes and provided to approximately 12 lakh Indian Army personnel in stages. It is predicted that the Indian army will be able to replace the decade-old uniform with the new one by the beginning of 2023.
Written by- Riya Kashyap
Edited by- Sanjana Dey