Out of 43 licences issued since 2001 for making bulletproof jackets, only 10 companies have started work

Out of the 43 companies that have been permitted to manufacture bulletproof jackets (BPJs) in the country over the past two decades, only 10 have commenced production even though the demand for protective gear remains high from the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces and other state government law enforcement agencies.

“Till date, a total of 43 licences have been issued for manufacture of bulletproof jackets, body armour and body protector since 2001. Further, as per the data available, 10 companies have commenced manufacturing,” the Ministry of Defence has been quoted in the latest report tabled by Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence.

The Committee has stressed that the remaining 33 companies be pursued to commence manufacturing at the earliest, with full capacity to meet regular and urgent requirements of BPJs for the Armed Forces and other consumers.

Observing that adequate industry base is available indigenously for production and manufacture of BPJs as per the requirement of Service Headquarters and state police forces, the Committee has sought reasons for avoidable delay on part of such companies and asked the MoD to furnish a status report within three months on the production by remaining companies.

According to different sources, the Armed Forces have a requirement of about four lakh BPJs, while the paramilitary and other state police require about seven lakh jackets. These are used during counter-terrorist operations in areas like Kashmir, North-east and Naxal infested regions, guard duties at sensitive locations, missions like hostage rescue and operations against gangsters or armed criminals.

BPJs having various protection levels against different types of ammunition and fragments are being developed and produced within the country. The development agencies include research agencies, like the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

The Committee observed. Bullet Proof Jackets are being procured by the services and the ballistic testing is carried out in accordance with General Staff Qualitative Requirement, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and approved testing plan formulated through collegiate with testing agencies like the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh or the National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar.

The Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), earlier the Ordnance Equipment Group of Factories, before reorganisation, is also involved in the development of BPJs and vests for various threat levels. Another Unit of TCL, Ordnance Clothing Factory, Avadi, has developed a different version of BPJ as per the requirements of the Ministry of Home Affairs and state police forces.

Ordnance Equipment Factory, Kanpur, in collaboration with MIDHANI, has developed one version of BPJ, named Bhabha Kavach, which is based upon the technologies developed by DRDO and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

In the past, there have also been controversies over the development and procurement of BPJs from indigenous and foreign sources. These were associated with quality issues, inconsistent testing, procurement irregularities and reliance on foreign materials.