Combat Uniforms of Indian Armed forces

By Dhruv Kumar|Updated : January 5th, 2021

1.PARA SPECIAL FORCES

It is the elite volunteer force of the Indian Army.
They use some 20+ camo patterns depending on terrains they operate in ranging from high altitude areas of the Himalayas to dense jungles of North East India.
For Operations in Desert Areas, Para SF uses MARPAT or Marine Pattern Camo and Desert Camouflage.
They use universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) camo for Urban Operations. For operations in Night, they use black camo similar to MARCOS/NSG.
Para SF, also, uses different kind of camo patterns like Snow Camouflage for High-Altitude Operations, brushstroke camouflage pattern for airborne operations and also during parades, parachutist style smock with Goretex-type jackets for operations in arid jungles and features orange spots, French CE woodland, Flecktarn camo for Counter-Terrorism Ops in Kashmir, Multicam, PC Disruptive, SURPASS, Mossy oak camo for jungle operations among others.

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BADGES

The wear Balidaan badge along with a Special Forces Sleeve Patch and a Parachutist Badge along with other medals, ribbons and their iconic maroon beret which distinguishes them as an Airborne force.

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2.GARUD

It is a Quick Reaction Force of Indian Air Force, protect IAF high-value assets, conduct search and rescue during the peace and war, and undertake counter-terrorism tasks and special missions.
They also have a varied camo pattern in service and the most commonly use their new MARPAT camo and SURPAT camo along with other camo patterns like Army PC Disruptive camo and Multicam for specialized needs.

BADGES

They wear 'airman beret badge' with a Garud Commando Badge also a Special Force Sleeve Patch like Para SF
They also wear Para wings like Para Special Force while the officers sport a Beret Cap Badge.

3.MARCOS

Indian Navy has a Special Forces known as MARCOS which is responsible for conducting special operations. Officially called the Marine Commando Force, MARCOS was raised in February 1987.
They are trained to operate in a wide range of terrains and can be deployed from Sea, Land or Air.
They are mostly seen in Universal Camouflage Pattern(UCP) or better known as Digital Camouflage; they also use Black Camouflage.
UCP is well suited for an urban environment like buildings, concrete structures and all which helps the operator to blend into the surroundings.
Black camouflage is used for Close Quarter Battles, Hostage Rescue, etc.
They use Multicam and PC Disruptive camo for operations in jungles like a mildly dense forest. PC Disruptive camo is very useful in semi-arid and forests and is also used by the Army in general.
Besides, they use Flecktarn camo ( used by BSF also ) and Survival Pattern [SURPAT] for various combat profiles and needs.
Officially they sport a pure white naval uniform with a peak cap/maroon beret, Combat Diver Badge, Marine Commando Sleeve Patch which is authorized only to MARCO personnel and a MARCOS Badge which is awarded after a successful probation period.
They might also sport medals, ribbons and other badges like a SEAL Trident ( for those who have undergone BUD/S ) and a Frogman Badge.

4.SPG

Generally, Agents of SPG assigned to the Prime Ministerial Security.
They wear black Western-style formal business suits, with dark shades, a 2-way encrypted communication earpiece, and concealed handguns.
On some occasions, they wear safari suits to blend into their surroundings.
Uniformed Officers of SPG are dressed like Special operations commandos, with much more noticeable armament. Their equipment includes ultra-modern assault rifles, dark-visor goggles/sunglasses with inbuilt communication earpieces, bulletproof vests, gloves and elbow/knee pads.

5.National Security Guard

It is the country's premier counter-terrorism outfit working under the Home Ministry.
NSG guards against the challenges posed by terrorists to the internal security of the Nation such as the one witnessed in Mumbai attacks on 26/11.
The other mandate for the NSG is the protection of important personalities of the country, hostage rescue operation, anti-hijacking and bomb disposal operations.
They are known as the 'Black Cats', the black overalls of its commandos makes them look apart from other forces.