BW Piper
 

Piper.

is it tropical, or is it the white drill permitted to Highland and Foot Guards?

It is white drill material. Bands, Pipes/drums etc.of British regiments in India appear to have had special white shell jackets or frocks at various times.

CB

The India Pattern suit of white had, I believe, only 5 buttons and was made down to below waist length.

The totally different Highland and Guards white drill [as in musketry and drilling] order was cut at the waist and heavily buttoned.

So which are we seeing?

Indeed, the standard line infantry white jacket was as you mention, but the photo shows something more akin to the white wool shell jacket as worn prior to WW1, but it is likely not, as the temperature in Quetta in September would be in the 80s and 90s.
As I mentioned, battalions in India sometime had their bands or pipes (and mess waiters etc.) outfitted using uniform items and insignia that may have not been regulation, at times unique to the battalion itself and not the regiment as as whole, at a certain time period.
Certainly the pipe banner would have been purchased by the battalion. We may never know when it comes to India.

CB

Whatever else it may be, it is not a tunic. That was the OP caption.

As background, the summer full dress for Line was white jacket and trousers, cut loosely but not noticeably lightweight.

However, there is certainly evidence that a very thin cotton equivalent was worn by some, possibly private purchase, possibly regimentally from the soda-water swindle/ fund.

My researches studiously avoid Highland [that way madness lies] but I don't have much pictorially in the way of unusual whites for Line band and/ or drums and would like to see some.

To tidy up the nomenclature.

The Home Service white garment for drill and musketry was called white jacket, and had eight buttons. Clothing Regs 1914 and earlier]

It was not scaled for India, but I have in front of me a photograph of a Highland Corps of Drums: drums and bugles, no pipes; also a Band, which looks very "India". Their top garment is clearly white.

The white suit was not issued for Quetta, which I understand was the coldest garrison, such that it was the only place with the British Warm and balaclava and gloves issued.

India whites were called frock white, and trousers white, three sets per man to be kept up. This issue was also made to Highlanders. India CR 1914 and earlier.

Putting 2 and 2 together it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that one of the frocks white issued to Highlanders might be tailored down to the drill jacket white pattern, supervised by the sergeant master tailor. Pure speculation on my part.

White drill jacket (shell type) I believe. Notice in particular the twisted shoulder cords, a distinctive feature of this garment.

And here is a frock, white, Scottish regiments. In this case with chest pockets.

I am now thinking that he might actually be wearing the home service white jacket. It has all the attributes of that garment and when looking at the cuffs, they appear thick, not thin cotton.
If this really is what is being worn, I find it strange to find in India (Quetta), even though temperatures do get very cold there in winter, but not other times.
Very strange belt to accompany it as well.

CB

Yes that was my point, he is indeed wearing a home service ‘drill jacket’. Not unusual in winter in Quetta, where it could be quite cold in those months. It was part of routine infantry regimental culture to change working dress between spring/summer to autumn/winter. The changeover was announced on ‘battalion Part One orders’.