Indian company halts production of Israeli police uniforms over Gaza ‘catastrophe’

Business owner in small coastal town in south of India takes ‘ethical’ stand to cease dealings with Israel over killings of Palestinians in Gaza, reports Shweta Sharma

(Supplied by Maryan Apparel )

For over eight years, an apparel manufacturing company in India’s coastal state of Kerala has been taking pride in making uniforms for the Israeli police force. The business in the seaside town of Kannur describes itself as the only company in India that produces military-grade police uniforms for Israel.

However, with the onset of war in Gaza following the 7 October rampage by Hamas, the company has decided to halt further business dealings with Israel on “humanitarian grounds”, even if it means losing business, says Thomas Olickal, the managing director of Maryan Apparel Private Limited.

“We were very happy to make a uniform for this country because it is a very high-tech uniform and we are very proud that the company based in Kerala can make such a beautiful uniform of tough quality for police,” Olickal tells The Independent.