As pictures of police personnel and private security guards in camouflage uniforms went viral, the Indian Army has urged the government not to let police forces wear combat uniforms. The Army had written to the Defence Ministry on February 24 requesting that guidelines be issued to ensure this.
“Combat dress should not be worn by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) pan India while being employed to handle law and order situations and in urban areas affected by terrorism, as the surroundings do not demand such a requirement,” it said.
“Over a period of time, CAPFs and state police forces in India have started wearing combat uniforms which are just slightly different from the ones worn by Indian Army personnel. These minor variations cannot be distinguished by most civilians giving them the impression that the personnel wearing such dresses in cities and towns of India while engaged in internal security duties, escorting VIPs, on policing duties, static guard posts, are Army personnel,” the Army said. It said wearing combat dress by CAPFs and police forces may be misinterpreted as the army being deployed for internal security duties and elections.
