Ajay Banerjee
New Delhi, May 9
In an important decision, the Army officers in the rank of brigadier and above will now have a common uniform irrespective of the regiment or corps they were inducted into.
The decision was taken after detailed deliberations during the recently concluded Army Commanders’ Conference and extensive consultations at all levels, sources said.
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 now not wear any lanyard.
The changes will be implemented from August 1, sources said.
In the Indian Army, brigadier and above officers are those who have already commanded units or battalions and are mostly posted at headquarters establishments where officers from all arms and services work and function together. A standard uniform will ensure a common identity for all senior-rank officers, sources added.
There is no change in the uniform worn by colonels and below-rank officers, sources added.
Different types of uniform and accoutrements have specific association to respective arms, regiments and services in the Indian Army. This recognition with distinct identity within the arms or regiment or services is essential for junior leadership and the rank and file to
further strengthen regimental ethos which is the bedrock of soldiering.
The move to have a common uniform for brigadiers and above is aimed at having a common identity and approach in service matters amongst senior leadership, which goes beyond the boundaries of regimentation.