Article Posted on : - Nov 28, 2013

NEW DELHI (PTI): Army has provided latest Swiss winter gear including trousers, jackets and gloves to jawans deployed in places such as Siachen Glacier to enable them brave temperatures that even go below minus 50 degree Celcius.

Jawans deployed in areas including Siachen Glacier, Kargil and Sikkim have been three-layered Extreme Cold Weather Clothing System and each set costs over Rs 35,000, Army sources said here.

The outermost layer of the winter clothing is made up of Gortex and can help troops in braving freezing temperature of up to minus 50 degree C, they said.

The winter gear has been imported by the Army from various Swiss winter clothing manufacturers including Black Diamond.

The Army has procured 40,000 such sets of clothing and the troops in some areas have already started using the kits, they said.

The need for replacing the existing kit was felt by senior Army authorities after it was found that the jackets and trousers in use were very bulky and troops were not finding them very comfortable, sources said.

After the Army started deploying troops to protect its territory in Siachen and other high altitude areas, several measures have been taken by the Government to improve their living conditions there.

The DRDO has also come up with integrated shelter huts which can provide protection to the soldiers against extreme climatic conditions of the Himalayan region.