Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has handed over technology for indigenous extreme cold weather clothing system (ECWS) to five Indian companies in New Delhi.
According to DRDO, the extreme ECWS is required by Indian Army for its sustained operations in glacier and Himalayan peaks. The Army, till recently, has been importing extreme cold weather clothing and several Special Clothing and Mountaineering Equipment (SCME) items for the troops deployed in high altitude regions.
The ECWCS, designed by DRDO, is an ergonomically designed modular technical clothing with improved thermal insulation and physiological comfort based on the insulation required at various ambient climatic conditions in Himalayan regions during different levels of physical activity.
The three-layered ECWCS is designed to suitably provide thermal insulation over a temperature range of +15 to -50° Celsius with different combinations of the layers and intensity of physical work, as per Ministry of Defence, India.
Considering the widely fluctuating weather conditions in the Himalayan peaks, the clothing provides an advantage of fewer combinations to meet the required insulation or IREQ for the prevailing climatic conditions, thereby providing a viable import alternative for the Indian Army.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, Chairman, DRDO emphasised on the need for developing indigenous industrial base for SCME items, not only to cater to the existing requirements of the Army but also to tap its potential for export.
One of the selected companies by DRDO is Gujarat-based Kusumgar Corporates Pvt. Ltd. and the company expressed the gratitude on its LinkedIn page, “We are excited and proud to receive the “Transfer of Technology” for ECWCS (Extreme Cold Weather Clothing System) from DRDO under the aegis of Make in India initiative. This would eventually replace the import of clothing systems for our Indian Army soldiers, deployed in super higher altitude regions.”