PM Modi Pitches The Idea of "One Nation, One Uniform" for Police

Another Attempt to Bring About Consistency Among The Various Forces

In yet another attempt to bring about consistency among the various forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the concept of "One Nation, One Uniform" for the police. While addressing digitally the first Chintin Shivir, or brainstorming session, of state Home Ministers and top police officers, Modi pitched the idea of a single uniform for police forces across the country. He further clarified that he is not attempting to impose it on the states, rather offering it as a suggestion for thought. 

Different Uniforms of Police Across India

The 28 Indian states each have their own police force, which is governed by the state governments pursuant to the Indian Constitution. List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with the separation of powers between the Union and States, is where both "public order" and "police" are listed. Even though the colour khaki is frequently associated with police officers in India, different regions do have slightly varied police uniforms. There can be differences in their official appearance because state administrations and even a single force can pick what uniforms its employees wear. For example:

The Kolkata Police wear white uniforms.

Police officers from Puducherry wear khaki uniforms with a bright red cap.

Personnel with the Delhi Traffic Police wear white and blue uniforms.

Uniform of Police in the British Era                                                   

The police in India wore white uniforms when the British arrived. But this white outfit was readily stained by mud and dust. Police officers started dyeing their uniforms a variety of colours to prevent them from getting soiled, which resulted in colourful uniforms. Sir Henry Lawrence chose khaki as the standard colour for police uniforms in 1847 after seeing the advantages of the shade. Given its light shade, it would be simple to conceal the dress's stains. Since that time, the police throughout the nation have worn khaki uniforms.

Uniform of Different Rank Officers                                                     

The Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) announced in February of this year that officers with the level of Police Sub Inspector (PSI) to Deputy Superintendent will no longer wear the "tunic uniform" (DySP). The DGP stated that the order was made because the tunic uniform was uncomfortable and expensive. A khaki terry overcoat is worn by police personnel over their standard uniform when they don a tunic outfit, as is customary for British police officers. In February of this year, the Odisha government also got rid of the colonial Sam Browne belt and the tunic uniform from the British era. Only when an officer is carrying a sword on ceremonial occasions can they wear a brown belt or cross belt. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has been enlisted by the Delhi Police to design new uniforms for its force while taking into consideration comfort. In collaboration with the National Institute of Design (NID), the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), which is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), created a new "smart uniform" for the Indian police in 2017 and distributed a report to all the states and UTs. The Karnataka Police made the decision to replace khaki saris worn by female employees while on duty with khaki shirts and pants in October 2018. The change was made to increase the efficiency with which police women carried out their duties. To prevent anomalies, the Maharashtra Police established a standard colour code—PANTONE 18-1022 TCX—for the khaki fabric used in uniforms in January 2020.

One Nation, One Uniform for Police                                                       

One nation, one ration card, one nation, one pension, one nation, one mobility card, one nation, one fertiliser, and "one nation, one uniform for Police" are only a few of the recent scientific, technological, political, and economic advancements made in India. A variety of internal security issues, including the creation of an ecosystem for the management of cybercrime, the modernization of police forces, the expansion of the use of information technology in the criminal justice system, land border management, coastal security, and other internal security, are being discussed. In the present scenario, a uniformed police force will encourage the large-scale, centralised production of uniforms of high quality, make it easier to identify police officers everywhere in India, and provide all of the nation's law enforcement organisations a shared identity.