NEW DELHI — March 10, 2026 : SMPP Limited, an Indian manufacturer of ballistic protection equipment, has received an additional order to supply 10,000 bulletproof jackets (BPJs) for India’s paramilitary forces. The procurement is intended for the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), expanding an existing supply contract between the company and the forces.
Order Expansion and Delivery Progress
The new order increases the total procurement volume for the three paramilitary organizations to 50,000 bulletproof jackets. The contract originally covered 40,000 jackets, which SMPP Limited has been delivering under previously agreed timelines.
According to company information, approximately 28,000 jackets from the initial order have already been delivered to the respective forces. The remaining units are scheduled for delivery during the next financial year, and the company states that production and supply remain aligned with the contractual schedule.
The additional procurement follows earlier deliveries under the original order and reflects the continued requirement for ballistic protection equipment for personnel deployed in high-risk operational environments.
Role of SMPP in Indian Defence Supply Chains
SMPP Limited develops and manufactures ballistic protection systems for soldiers and military platforms across land, air, and maritime environments. The company’s product portfolio includes personal protection equipment, platform protection kits, ballistic helmets, and ammunition components such as combustible cartridge cases.
Headquartered in New Delhi, SMPP operates manufacturing facilities in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and has been involved in defence manufacturing for approximately four decades.
In addition to the ongoing supply to BSF, CISF, and SSB, the company is also delivering advanced bulletproof jackets capable of stopping armour-piercing ammunition to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Indian Army.
Previous Defence Contracts
SMPP has previously executed several large defence procurement programs for the Indian armed forces and paramilitary units.
In April 2018, the Ministry of Defence awarded the company a contract valued at ₹639 crore for the supply of 186,138 bulletproof jackets to the Indian Army. The company completed the delivery of that order ahead of the scheduled timeline.
More recently, in June–July 2025, SMPP secured a separate ₹300 crore emergency procurement contract from the Indian Army. That order included:
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27,700 bulletproof jackets, and
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11,700 advanced ballistic helmets.
The jackets supplied under that program incorporate features such as dynamic load distribution systems designed to improve weight balance and quick-release mechanisms intended for emergency removal during combat situations.
The company has also delivered approximately 200,000 ballistic helmets under emergency procurement procedures and has previously supplied large quantities of protective equipment to paramilitary forces including the CRPF, BSF, and Assam Rifles. Some helmet variants were designed specifically for Sikh soldiers, allowing accommodation of religious headgear.
Technical Characteristics of the Bulletproof Jackets
The bulletproof jackets produced by SMPP incorporate Boron Carbide ceramic plates, a material widely used in advanced ballistic armor due to its combination of low weight and high hardness. The use of Boron Carbide allows the protective gear to maintain reduced weight while maintaining the ability to defeat multiple ballistic impacts.
The jackets are engineered to provide 360-degree protection, covering critical areas including the neck, chest, sides, and groin. Their modular design allows personnel to configure the protection level depending on operational requirements such as long-duration patrols, static security duties, or high-risk intervention operations.
The ballistic plates provide Level III+ protection, enabling the armor to stop several types of commonly used rifle ammunition, including:
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7.62×51 mm rounds,
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5.56×45 mm INSAS ammunition, and
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steel-core projectiles fired from AK-47 rifles.
Manufacturing Capacity and Production Infrastructure
SMPP’s manufacturing facilities employ automated production lines and internationally certified quality management systems. According to company data, equipment produced by the firm has been used by more than 500,000 soldiers.
To date, the company reports production of:
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over 300,000 ballistic helmets,
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hundreds of thousands of bulletproof jackets, and
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approximately 700,000 combustible cartridge cases used in artillery ammunition systems.
SMPP is also expanding its defence manufacturing activities into 155 mm artillery ammunition, as well as unmanned aerial systems and drone munitions.
Domestic Defence Manufacturing Policy
The company’s operations have been supported by procurement policies under the Ministry of Defence’s Positive Indigenisation List, which restricts imports of specified defence equipment and encourages domestic production.
These policies aim to increase the participation of Indian defence manufacturers in supplying equipment to the armed forces and paramilitary organizations, while reducing reliance on imported systems.
The additional order for 10,000 bulletproof jackets is part of this broader framework of domestically produced protective equipment being supplied to security forces operating across India’s border regions and critical infrastructure sites.
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