The collar — the primary distinction
The stand collar height is the primary technical difference between a bandhgala and a Nehru jacket. The bandhgala collar typically rises 3.5 to 4.5 cm from the neck seam — a collar band that has a defined, formal presence. The Nehru jacket collar is typically lower: 2 to 3 cm, which creates a collar band that is less prominent and less formal.
This difference in collar height translates directly into a difference in formality register. The taller bandhgala collar creates a precise, closed, formal closure at the neck — similar in its visual message to a Western shirt and tie combination. The lower Nehru jacket collar is more open, more casual in its relationship with the neck, and reads as less formal without being casual.
Context guide — which jacket for which occasion
The bandhgala is appropriate for: formal professional meetings, Indian formal occasions equivalent to Western business-formal dress, receptions and dinners where a suit would be appropriate, political and diplomatic contexts, and as the jacket of choice for any professional who wears Indian ethnic dress for work.
The Nehru jacket is appropriate for: smart-casual professional contexts, casual festive occasions, as a layer over a shirt with Western trousers, for concerts, arts events and creative professional contexts, and as the more relaxed alternative when the bandhgala would be overdressed. The Nehru jacket is also the natural choice for the Indo-Western combination — over a Western shirt or under a Western jacket in a limited number of creative combinations.