New combat uniform for CRPF personnel for ease in ops

“The matter was reported to an official in MHA, after which a committee of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) was formed. The CRPF has decided to change (the uniform) and now other forces have also been asked to plan for a change,” the officer said.

“After coordinating with the Northern India Textile Research Association and other experts, the CRPF has decided to change their combat uniform after almost 10 years. The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of CRPF already has a digital print, so they are not changing and also Rapid Action Force (RAF) (are not changing). We have asked all the other units to procure new ‘cloth disruptive polyester and cotton with digital print design’, which has 80% cotton and 20% polyester,” another officer said.

The disruptive-pattern cloth will have “two up one down twill weave”, said the officer. “The selvedge should be firm and straight. The cloth should be well-singed and the fabric should be ‘heat set and fully shrunk’. Each pattern should show solid coverage and dyes used in the dyeing and printing should be free from banned amine,” the officer said.

In 2020, the Army has asked Ministries of Defence and Home to issue guidelines to ensure that state police forces and CAPFs do not wear ‘disruptive-pattern uniform’, referred to as ‘combat uniform’, while on law and order duties.

On February 23, 2020, following violent clashes in Northeast Delhi’s Jafrabad, pictures emerged of security personnel wearing combat-pattern uniforms closely resembling that of the Indian Army being deployed in the area. As the pictures and videos went viral on social media — some were posted on Twitter — word spread that the Army had been called out in the area.