The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi is collaborating with a public enterprise to design ‘smart protective clothing’ for defence forces. The university on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), which is a Kanpur-based firm and part of the Ministry of Defence. TCL manufactures equipment for defence and paramilitary forces.

The group operates four factories: the Ordinance Equipment Factory in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh; the Ordnance Clothing Factory in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh; the Ordnance Clothing Factory in Avadi, Tamil Nadu; and the Ordnance Equipment Factory in Hazratpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read | Fodder scam: CBI court pronounces five-year jail, Rs 60 lakh fine to Lalu Prasad Yadav

“Under the MoU, IIT Delhi and TCL will collaborate on the research and development of garments and equipment for security personnel deployed in high-altitude areas such as the Siachen Glacier, clothing for ballistic weapon protection, and the development of sensor-fitted garments,” IIT-D said in a statement.

“All four TCL factories will allocate projects to IIT Delhi for research and innovation according to their needs.” The scope of the collaboration will include “the application of smart textiles to defence applications, the integration of artificial intelligence in troop comfort items, and the development of a futuristic infantry soldier as a system (Integration of Telecommunication & Health Monitoring Device).”

Also Read | Five states in India spend more under MGNREGS than in pre-pandemic year

Both will form a Joint Working Group to work on the cooperation initiatives.

“Under the self-reliant India agenda, this MoU with IIT Delhi would prove to be a milestone in the path of empowering and modernising the country’s security services,” stated S K Sinha, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), TCL.

Also Read | Nidhi Razdan back to NDTV after scam Harvard University job fiasco

“IIT Delhi’s Textile and Fibre Engineering Department is well-known for breakthroughs in the field of smart textiles,” stated Sunil Kumar Khare, Dean R&D. It is an honour for us to be able to help our security personnel through our MoU with TCL.”

The TCL Group, which is undergoing a transition under the government’s current policies, aspires to be a fully integrated solution supplier for the forces’ requirements. According to the institution, the government-run corporation intends to transition from traditional commodities to technology-driven things that will serve both the security forces and the civic market.