NEED FOR GING AN BULLETPROOF JACKETS

Modern ballistic armour can cut down battle casualties by two-thirds,

- VAIBHAV AGRAWAL

The Indian Army is seeking to purchase more than 15,000 bulletproof jackets for its soldiers under the emergency financial powers granted to it by the government in December, according to open sources. This is to meet immediate needs resulting from the crisis on the northern borders.

Only parties with an industrial licence and those registered as manufacturers for the previous two years will be permitted to submit bids to supply the jackets, as per the requirements outlined in a tender issued by the army in 2022. Despite being encouraged and promoted by various defence ministry schemes under the Make in India initiative, a number of innovators will be excluded even though this would qualify legacy players.

The use of Chinese raw materials in the jackets supplied to the Indian Army is also not restricted by any clauses. But, the defence ministry has mandated that Indian manufacturers must certify that they are not doing business with Chinese entities earlier in 2022.

A requirement for 50,000 new bulletproof jackets (BPJs) for its frontline soldiers was projected by the Indian Army in 2021, and the procurement process was anticipated to start in the following few months. According to the army's list of requirements, BPJs must be able to defend a soldier from hard steel core bullets and 7.62 mm armour-piercing rifle rounds fired at a 10-meter range.

The BPJs required for defence against armour piercing ammunition whose velocity is higher than that of other bullets, are supposed to weigh less than 10 kg, while the weight of those intended for use against steel core rounds should not exceed 8 kg.