Gen. Bipin Rawat facilitated indigenisation of special clothing for the Defence, says textiles expert

He supported officers with procurement processes, backed their ideas, says S.K. Sundararaman, deputy chairman of the Southern India Mills’ Association

The last five or six years have seen several measures that went into indigenisation of speciality garments and fabrics for the Defence forces, and one of the key persons in this effort was

General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday , says S.K. Sundararaman, deputy chairman of the Southern India Mills’ Association.

“I met General Rawat at least half a dozen times,” said Mr. Sundararaman, who is also the former chairman of the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA). The ITTA held an Army sourcing conference in 2016-2017 and General Rawat, who was then the Chief of Army Staff, was invited as the chief guest. He would back his officers for their ideas. “He empowered his people to take decisions,” Mr. Sundararaman said, recollecting his meetings with General Rawat.

Five or six years ago was the transition period when the government wanted to indigenise speciality clothing and textile requirements of the Defence sector. Today, almost all textile and clothing items except a few, such as high altitude gloves and sleeping bags, are made by the domestic industry. All textile sourcing was through the Master-General of the Ordnance.

General Rawat spearheaded the effort to indigenise production, as he allowed his team to go out and take the required measures to make the products locally. He supported the officers with the procurement processes, said Mr. Sundararaman.