Bullet-resistant jackets based on BIS standards safer, cheaper, lighter: Paswan

Consumer Affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan Friday said bullet-resistant jackets manufactured according to the national BIS standards are safer, lighter, 50 per cent cheaper and even being exported.

The formulation of the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) standard on bullet resistant jacket has placed India in the select league of nations like the US, UK and Germany who have their own national standard.

"BIS has formulated a national standard on bullet proof jacket which will promote Make in India. This jacket is of best quality in the world and is also lighter in weight which is convenient for our jawans. Prices of these jackets are 50 per cent lower and as a result more exports are taking place," Paswan told reporters.

He said there is a demand of 3.5 lakh such jackets.

"This jacket is better in all parameters. It is of best quality in has (sic) better safety mechanism. It is light weight as well as cheaper by 50 per cent," he added.

These jackets have a weight in the range of 5.5 kg to 10 kg, almost half than the other jacket and also have quick release system. Prices are around Rs 70,000 per piece.

The BIS standard, which has been formulated on the direction of Home Ministry and Niti Aayog, prescribes the minimum performance requirements of bullet resistance jackets for protection against small arms and amunition and provides procedures for their evaluation.

This standards is expected to fulfil the long pending needs of Indian Armed Forces, Para Military forces and State Police forces and will assist them in streamlining their procurement procedures.

"It will also ensure that only acceptable quality reaches the user which eventually leads to reduction in fatal casualties to the security forces wearing such bullet resistant jackets," a statement said.

The BIS standards specifies the performance requirements for 6 threat level (Level 1 to 6) and can sustain the threat from 7.62*39 mm AK47 with hard steel core bullet.

Presently, two PSUs Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd (Midhani) (Hyderabad) and Ordnance Clothing Factory (Avadi) and private firms SMPP (Palwal) MKU (Kanpur), Starwire (Faridabad) are manufacturing bullet resistant jackets as per the BIS norms.

The Central Armed Police Forces, including CRPF, BSF, SSB, CISF, NSG, has initaited the process of procuring the bullet proof jackets as per the Indian standards.