The Indian Army has removed several colonial-era vestiges from its dress regulations, the mandatory carriage of swords by Reviewing Officers, and the use of pouch belts with certain mess dresses. It has also dropped the use of archaic terminology such as “Royal.”
The Army is introducing the indigenous Bandi jacket as part of civil formal dress in a broader effort to align military traditions with India’s sovereign identity. The changes are elaborated in the newly issued Army Uniforms-2026 Pamphlet, which standardises dress regulations across the force while introducing what the Army describes as a deliberate move away from residual colonial-era symbols and terminology.
The rationale behind the changes is explicitly outlined in a chapter titled “Indigenisation and Alignment with National Ethos.” The manual states, “In keeping with the nation’s sentiments and evolving sovereign identity, a number of deliberate refinements have been incorporated in this edition of Army Uniforms Pamphlet.”
Among the changes is the introduction of a closed-neck coat, commonly known as a Bandi jacket, to be worn over a full-sleeved shirt with matching formal trousers and closed footwear, bringing an indigenous element as part of formal civil attire for officers. The manual authorises that the Army has also removed the pouch belt from Mess Dress Nos ‘5’ and ‘6’, made the carriage of swords by Reviewing Officers optional, and disc
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