In the history of Indian Army this will be the first time that the jawans will be equipped with the world class helmets, if reports are to be believed the helmets made can bear 9mm ammunition attack.
According to some media reports, the Kanpur-based MKU Industries, has been contracted for manufacturing of 1.58 lakh helmets in Rs 170-180 crore deal, and the production of it will start at earliest as the company is planning to make the helmets available within three years.
In the last two decades this is the first bulk orders of helmets given by the Indian Army. Last time it was more than 10 years ago when the Army provided its elite para special forces an Israeli OR-201 helmet. Whereas, most of the soldiers had to wear ‘patka’ which are domestically made heavy helmets. As they are quite heavy, they weigh somewhere around 2.5 kgs they are not comfortable for the jawans, especially during war situations.
To make army advance in terms of equipment, last year the government made an ’emergency contracts’ with Tata Advanced Materials Limited for buying 50,000 new bulletproof jackets.
Earlier, in the first press conference held by Army Chief Bipin Rawat after his appointment, he had said that the army is in talks with the country’s top industries for providing well equipped gear for frontline soldiers with world class technology.
