Another great decision of the Defence Minister is that he has given the go-ahead for women officers of the Territorial Army (TA) to be posted with engineer regiments along the Line of Control, as well as to be appointed as staff officers at TA group headquarters and the Directorate General of TA in New Delhi, based on the requirements of the organisation. Since 2019, women officers have been commissioned in ecological task force units, TA oil sector units and the TA railway engineer regiment. This move comes after the success of the initial employment of women officers and is aimed at expanding their scope of employment and meeting their professional aspirations. The Department of Military Affairs has amended the existing cadre management provisions for women officers of the TA. The TA is a citizen-soldier army where officers receive training in basic military skills while also being employed in civilian life.
Indian women have been serving in the armed forces since 1992, in addition to the medical corps, when the Indian Government opened up certain positions to women. Since then, women have made significant strides in the military and are currently allowed to serve in various roles. Women are currently allowed to serve in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. However, there are certain restrictions on their roles and responsibilities, and they are not allowed to serve in frontline combat units such as infantry or armoured regiments.
In the Indian Army, women are allowed to serve in various roles such as engineers, doctors, lawyers, and signal officers. They are also allowed to serve in the Corps of Military Police and the Army Aviation Corps. In the Indian Navy, women can serve as officers in various branches such as logistics, law and education. They can also serve as sailors in select branches such as medical and logistics. In the Indian Air Force, women are allowed to serve in various technical and non-technical branches. They can also serve as pilots and navigators.
Earlier, Captain Shiva Chouhan of Fire and Fury Corps became the first woman officer to be operationally deployed in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, at the Kumar post, located at an altitude of around 15,600 feet, in January 2023, for a three-month stint. Her achievement highlights the importance of gender diversity in the military and how women can contribute to the nation’s security and defence. A special selection board cleared women officers in the Indian Army for the rank of Colonel (selection grade) in January 2023. This made them eligible to command units and troops in their respective arms and services, marking the first time women will hold these positions.
It is heartening to see that the Indian armed forces are becoming more inclusive and diverse, and women are getting more opportunities to serve in various roles. However, there is still a long way to go to achieve true gender equality in the military, and more needs to be done to address the unique challenges that women face in this male-dominated field.
In developed nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, women have been serving in the military for several decades. These countries have also progressively opened more combat roles to women over the years. For example, the United States lifted the ban on women serving in combat roles in 2013, and the UK announced in 2016 that it would open all military roles to women, including combat roles.
Overall, women in the Indian armed forces have made significant progress in recent years, and their contributions are highly valued.
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