IIT Delhi and DRDO’s reported 2.2 kg firefighter suit moves toward technology transfer

Firefighters in India often go into burning buildings wearing protective gear that weighs between 6 kg and 10 kg. A suit developed jointly by IIT Delhi and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) aims to cut that load to about 2.2 kg while retaining thermal protection in laboratory tests. According to reports published in the first week of November 2026, the suit has been certified by a DRDO laboratory and has entered the transfer-of-technology (ToT) phase, so that industry partners can produce it commercially.

What the suit does

The suit's main selling point is its weight. At roughly 2.2 kg, it is a fraction of the weight of the gear firefighters now use. Weight matters in firefighting: heavy, stiff gear makes the wearer tire faster, adds to heat stress inside the suit and slows movement through smoke-filled, cramped spaces.

Project scientist Sourav Banerjee told ETV Bharat that the suit has a Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) rating of over 50. TPP is a standard laboratory measure of how long a fabric system delays a second-degree burn when it is exposed to a mix of flame and radiant heat; the higher the number, the more protection.

How it was tested

The suit was evaluated at DRDO's Skill Development Centre in Pilkhuwa, Uttar Pradesh. The trials included a wet trial with 30 defence personnel wearing the suit.

It also went through an instrumented manikin test, in which a full-size mannequin fitted with heat sensors is exposed to a flash fire and the sensors estimate how much of the body would suffer burn injuries. In that test, the overall predicted burn injury was less than 3%, against a standard that requires it to be below 15%, according to the reports.

Cost and route to market

The expected price is ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 per suit. Banerjee said the plan is to bring the suit to market through DRDO within one to two years, via the ToT route under which DRDO licenses its technology to Indian manufacturers.

The price is important. Fire services in India are run largely by state governments and municipal bodies, many of which work with tight budgets. Imported high-performance turnout gear can be expensive, which limits how many firefighters receive it. A domestically made suit at a lower price could make better protection available to more of the force.

Why it matters

The project is a good example of how defence research can spill over into civilian use. DRDO's protective-clothing research has largely been shaped by military requirements, but the same materials science, combining flame-resistant fibres, thermal barrier layers and moisture management, applies directly to municipal and industrial firefighting.

It also reflects the growing role of IIT Delhi in defence textiles. The institute's textile and fibre engineering researchers have worked with DRDO on body armour and protective clothing, and IIT Delhi hosts a DRDO Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence that has previously transferred a lightweight bulletproof jacket technology, ABHED, to Indian companies.

What comes next

The next steps are licensing the technology to manufacturers, setting up production and getting the suit approved for purchase by fire services. Independent certification against national and international firefighting standards will be key to adoption by state fire departments and industry. If the suit performs in service as it did in trials, it could become one of the more visible civilian products to come out of India's defence research system.

Sources

• ETV Bharat: Firefighting to become easy with indigenous lightweight suit developed by IIT Delhi and DRDO
• ETV Bharat: IIT Delhi, DRDO develop lightweight firefighter suit estimated at Rs 30,000 - Rs 40,000
• Indian Defence News: IIT-Delhi, DRDO develop indigenous 2.2 kg lightweight firefighter suit
• SSBCrack: Defence current affairs, 05 November 2026
• IIT Delhi: DIA-CoE transfers technology of ABHED lightweight bulletproof jacket