Helmets compulsory for Sikh soldiers in British, Canadian and Australian armies

However, research on the uniform regulations for the three foreign armies in which Sikhs serve in substantial numbers shows that while these armies have amended their dress regulations to a large degree to accommodate people from diverse religious backgrounds, they are very stringent on the issue of personal protection items to be worn in operational or combat conditions.

The dress instructions of the Canadian army have a separate “religious and spiritual considerations” section and it unequivocally states that, “When engaged in combat operations, operational training or when serving with peacekeeping or multinational contingents, adherents of the Sikh religion shall, when deemed essential, cover their head with a patka or other customary clothing item, over which they shall wear the headdress (including combat helmets) and other items of military equipment as ordered by the commanding officer”.

Similarly the British army’s General and Administrative Instructions on Dress and Personal Appearance say,“A traditional Sikh cloth head-coverings can be worn when a turban is not suitable, such as under combat, flying or diving helmets, or during sports or strenuous physical activity”.

The British army’s Special Instructions for Wearing Uniform-Religious and Cultural Considerations further say under the heading “operational effectiveness and personal safety” that “When the safety of an individual might be jeopardised by expressions or articles of faith, they are to be modified to the extent required to reduce the risk to acceptable levels. The CO retains the authority to determine the requirement for an individual to modify the wearing of articles of faith based on the individual’s duties and operational requirement at that time”.

In same vein, the Australian army’s dress regulations for Sikh soldiers say, “The hair and beard may remain uncut, provided that the operational effectiveness and Workplace Health and Safety considerations are not jeopardised, when the member is required to wear occupational and operational equipment, such as gas masks, oxygen masks, combat/vehicle/flying helmets, hard hats, scuba masks, body armour etc, during combat operations, operational training or exercises, when serving with peacekeeping or multinational contingents”.

There was a mixed reaction from the veteran officers and jawans to this controversy. Many opposed the helmet introduction vehemently while several others supported it. However, the general consensus was that the Army headquarters should have carried out a sensitisation exercise by reaching out to Sikh clergy and veterans in advance and assuring them that the objective was entirely operationally driven, and given the examples of foreign armies where Sikhs serve.

Sources within the Army have revealed that the decision to purchase the helmets was taken only after getting feedback from Sikh troops on the field and also after user trials in actual conditions. It has also been pointed out that Sikh fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force have been wearing helmets during sorties for the past several decades.

Private company develops helmet for Sikh soldiers

A private firm named MKU, which supplies helmets to the Army, has developed the prototype of a helmet for Sikh soldiers and it has reportedly been tested in field conditions too. The company has developed the special ballistic helmet named Kavro SCH 111T, which has a special shape designed to be comfortable for Sikh soldiers. The company website states that till now Sikh soldiers were unable to use modern headgear and equipment in combat that could provide them all-round head protection.

The special shape of the helmet allows it to be worn over the cloth patka that the Sikh soldiers can wear instead of turbans.

The company claims the helmet “provides uniform and all-round ballistic protection across the complex and compound curves in the helmet shell. It keeps the weight under control for extended usage for long hours in spite of additional surface area and added materials”.

It is also claimed that the helmet reduces the behind-helmet blunt trauma by 40 per cent and that the special design allows “maximum situational awareness and compatibility with communication headsets and accessories”.