After two decade-long wait,Modern bullet-proof helmets reach Indian Army

After two decade-long wait for lighter headgear, the Indian Army has finally received modern ballistic helmets this month which can bear impact from short range.

Earlier in 2017, Kanpur-based MKU Limited, which supplies military equipment to the UN and NATO, was awarded a contract worth Rs 180 crore to manufacture about 1.6 lakh helmets with 13 mm trauma protection pads.

According to the same the company recently delivered the first batch of the helmets. The helmets are designed to bear the impact of 9 mm ammunition fired from a short range, which meets the global standard for protection among leading armed forces. They are also designed to be comfortable and can be integrated with communication and night-vision devices.

This is the first large scale order of helmets by the Army in more than two decades reported. The army has been demanding the helmets because the existing ones are bulky and only provide protection from splinters and rocks.

The government had signed a Rs 140 crore deal to purchase 50,000 bulletproof jackets from Tata Advanced Materials Limited. Both MKU Limited and Tata Advanced Materials were given the contract to provide 25,000 bullet-proof jackets each.