Suit up for bigger threats: Advanced bullet-resistant equipment for Delhi cops

Time of India

17-05-2025

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NEW DELHI: Amid a higher threat perception,
Delhi Police
is procuring
advanced protective gear
to bolster its frontline deployment and enhance personnel safety. A substantial quantity of bullet-resistant equipment is being acquired, police sources said.
The force is procuring around 7,900 bullet-resistant vests and helmets that will offer 3A-level protection from handguns and similar weapons. Another 7,930 jackets offering advance level 5 protection are also being acquired for protection against threats from assault rifles and weapons of that grade.
Also being bought are 1,493 bullet-resistant patkas for use by some cops, including those of the Sikh faith, a senior officer revealed.
The patka includes a steel band covered with expandable polyethylene sheet or EVA foam sheet for added protection. "The patka also features a suitable disruptive cover with strapping harness and arrangement for air circulation besides a high-density foam trauma pad with a water-resistant cover to minimise shot impacts," the officer said.
Delhi Police has also set in motion the procurement of 1,000 bullet-proof visors for face protection.
To ensure seamless connectivity, 2,000 multi-accessory connectors are also being procured.
The cops need advanced
bulletproof vests
and jackets to protect against high-velocity rifle rounds, which are increasingly common in terrorist attacks and violent crimes. Enhanced safety in urban warfare scenarios is also crucial, as Delhi is a densely populated urban space where police operations may involve complex scenarios.
"These advanced protective gear will significantly enhance the safety and effectiveness of Delhi Police personnel, enabling them to respond more confidently to threats from criminals and terrorists," said an office at Police HQ.
"The force is committed to modernising its capabilities and staying ahead of emerging threats."
Police commissioner Sanjay Arora is learnt to have given his nod for the proposals. Officers said that the vests would not only be worn by cops going on raids but also by the front ranks during riots and agitations.
Police sources said that the jackets being acquired would comply with the American National Institute of Justice standards, considered to be the world standard for bullet proof jackets.
The level 3+ armour also has the ability to resist bullets of .357 bore and soft armour piercing rounds including 7.62x39mm steel core bullets used in AK series rifles and 7.62x51mm battle rifle rounds used in sniper rifles.
Jackets of level 3A and beyond will protect the cops from bullets fired from a range of weapons like AK rifles, sten machine guns, M and carbines, etc. Apart from bullets, the jackets will also be able to stop stabs made with knives or ice-picks.
The new vests are assumed to cost around Rs 1 lakh each, which is more than double the price of the older vests that cost Rs 40,000. However, the actual cost is yet to be confirmed.
Sources said that before procurement, the jackets had to clear the test parameters fixed by the Bureau of Police Research and Development and the police modernisation division of the Union home ministry. The jackets are made of several layers of Kevlar sheets and metallic plates.
They will protect the chest, back, ribs, groin and neck and will weigh less than 2.5kg, a standard for all kinds of armour.
Explaining the features of the new jackets, an officer said that the vests would be abrasion proof, water and fire proof and treated for protection against ultraviolet ray exposure. The jackets are available in large and standard sizes, besides in the 'extra large' size.
There has been a longstanding demand from police personnel for additional, higher safety jackets.
Many of the jackets Delhi Police had till a few years ago were not just outdated but also heavy, weighing 11-13kg apiece, an officer recalled, adding that it was extremely difficult to wear these jackets for hours.
A few years ago, a Delhi court expressed concerns at the city's ill-equipped policemen, after which the city police force had begun efforts to procure bulletproof jackets for senior field officers and personnel engaged in patrolling and on law-and-order duty as well as for commandos handling riots and terror attacks.
The absence of bulletproof jackets or their poor quality has been known to have resulted in the deaths of several cops in the country. While top Mumbai policeman Hemant Karkare was a victim during the 26/11 terrorist attack, Delhi cop Mohan Chand Sharma died during the 2008 encounter at Batla House.