Ever since Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare was killed in the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, no other issue has caught the attention of the public and policy makers more than the lack of proper bulletproof (BP) jackets for our security personnel in the line of fire. But one-and-a-half years after the attack, India’s paramilitary forces continue to face a shortage of over 40% of their BP jacket requirements. The largest shortfall in terms of numbers—or 40,000 jackets—is faced by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is bearing the brunt of Naxal violence and lost 80 men at Dantewada recently.