Do Indian military forces wear Dog Tags?
Dog tags, also known as military identification tags, are worn by soldiers during war and serve as a means of identification for the dead and wounded on the battlefield. These tags are preferred over plastic ID cards due to their resilience and durability in harsh battle conditions.
The name of dog tags is derived from the resemblance between military identification tags and the tags used by pet owners. The purpose of dog tags is to provide essential information for identifying soldiers who have been killed or injured in war. In situations where immediate removal of deceased soldiers from the battlefield is not possible, one tag is collected while the other remains with the soldier's body for retrieval later.
In the Indian military forces, a similar system of identification tags is used. It consists of one round and one oval aluminium tag. The oval tag is worn on the hand, while the round tag is worn around the neck. These tags are more akin to the identification discs used by the British forces. In recent times, the Indian military has adopted a style similar to the US military dog tags, as they allow for easier mass personalisation. These tags are issued during times of war or operations. In the unfortunate event of a soldier's death, one tag accompanies the body, while the other remains with the soldier's equipment for identification purposes. The tags are made of aluminium to prevent rusting and contain identifying information such as the soldier's number, name, etc.