The Indian Army has decided that its senior officers above the rank of Brigadier will don a standardised common uniform irrespective of their regiments and corps to “strengthen a common identity beyond the boundaries of regimentation.”
“The headgear, shoulder rank badges, gorget patches, belt and shoes of senior officers of flag rank (Brigadier and above) will now be standardised and common. The flag-rank officers will not wear any lanyard,” sources said.
The new dress code will come into effect from Aug 1.
There will be no change to the uniform worn by Colonels and below-rank officers, who are posted mostly in field formations.
In the Indian Army, Brigadiers, Major Generals and Lieutenant Generals are officers who have already commanded units and battalions, and are mostly posted at headquarters or establishments where officers from all arms and services work and function together.
A standard uniform, sources said, will ensure a common identity for all senior-rank officers, while reflecting the true ethos of the Indian Army.
The decision, sources said, was taken after detailed deliberations during the recently-concluded Army Commanders Conference and extensive consultations with all stakeholders.
The Indian Army officers use about eight types of uniforms for different occasions during winter and summer including the commonly seen olive green and the field uniform with the disruptive camouflage pattern. There are different types of uniforms for ceremonial events, for the mess and for the paratroopers.
Different types of uniform and accoutrements have specific association to respective Arms, Regiments and Services in the Indian Army.
Such a recognition with distinct identity within the Arms or Regiment or Services is essential for junior leadership and the rank and file to further strengthen camaraderie, esprit de corps and regimental ethos which is the bedrock of soldiering, explains an officer.
Since at the unit or battalion level, a distinct sense of identity reflects a strong bond among officers and men in the same regiment, there would be no change in the uniform of junior rank officers.
“But a common uniform for Brigadier and above rank officers will promote and strengthen common identity and approach in service matters amongst senior leadership, beyond the boundaries of regimentation,” sources said.