Mumbai Police released a 63-second clip on Twitter along with pictures of mounted policemen donning the new uniform and wrote: "Regal in stature, formidable in form, the 'Mounted Police Unit' returns to Mumbai Police. Thank you @ManishMalhotra for designing such an elegant uniform for our riders. Our Mounted Unit is sure to make a strong impact during law and order situations."
Jokes and memes laced with good-natured sarcasm followed on Twitter.
One Twitter user wrote: "I think you should invest in buying more motorcycles. You can buy 4-5 motorcycles in the price of one horse. Lesser maintenance, more life and more effective in emergency situations."
Another remarked: "What's with that heavy stupidly designed uniform in a humid city like Mumbai? What was Manish Malhotra thinking he's designing for a film? Idiotic."
"This is fantastic!! Just ensure that especially during summers the horses are taken care of," read one post.
"Can someone please explain the need to bring in policemen on horsebacks to maintain law and order in the streets of Mumbai. Shouldn't we instead be arming our current force with better training, weapons and surveillance technology (best in the world) to help them do their jobs better," asked one user.
A Tweeple remarked: "Honestly, a uniform must strike fear among law-breakers. This one doesn't seem to do justice to the uniform."
( With inputs from IANS )