For the first time ever, Indian apparel manufacturers have submitted their samples to the Indian Army for trials of high altitude clothing, which is provided to soldiers posted beyond an altitude of 14,000 feet.
Soldiers who are posted in high altitude areas like Siachen, Kargil, Drass, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim are issued a total of 55 items, out of which, 22 are one-time issue items, like down jacket or a sleeping bag, and the remaining 33 items are unit issue items, like special tents and ice axes, out of which 11 are imported from countries like China, Switzerland, Australia, Singapore, UK, Italy, Canada, and Norway. In the current scenario, 27,000 sets of high altitude clothing are required by the Indian Army every year, and they face an average shortfall of 5 to 10 per cent.
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Another reason why the Defence Ministry is pushing for ‘Make in India’ clothing is the problems faced due to long gestation period of importing, along with fluctuating foreign exchange rates. “Most of the Chinese items use bird feathers as a filling. Even though the items are certified for avian flu, we can never be sure about the Chinese products. Despite the quality check, we feel that we are still taking a chance of bringing infection to India,” a Defence Ministry official informed.
Post a meeting with the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA), the Indian Army displayed Siachen clothing for the Indian apparel manufacturers to bid for the items. The event was supported by the Ministry of Textiles, and apparel manufacturers like Shiva Texyarn, National Textile Corporation, Sara Sae, Key Tent, and Sabre Safety Ltd have deposited their samples with the Army. The items will undergo a 90 days trial at Siachen peak in winters, once the tenders are opened.
