Women in Combat Role In Indian Defence Forces Soon? Government Working ‘Seriously’ Says Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
The centre government is mulling over the idea to have women in combat roles in the defence forces
New Delhi, May 7: The centre government is mulling over the idea to have women in combat roles in the defence forces. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the government was working ‘seriously’ to have women in combat uniforms, a vow which, if fulfilled, will bring gender parity in the Indian armed forces and enable women to be deployed onboard submarines of the navy and tanks of the army.
Sitharaman said, "Women are keen to join armed forces in uniform. The Indian Air Force has already inducted women fighter pilots. About commissioning of women in the army and related forces, several cases are being fought in various courts. In the navy, women are not allowed in the sea, but we are working seriously towards opening up defence forces for women." She was speaking at an event to release a Gender Parity Index for the year 2017-18, a special study commissioned by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), the women business wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Women in combat roles in the armed forces have been a long pending demand. Then-president Pranab Mukherjee in February 2016 announced that women would be allowed to take up combat roles to remove gender disparity in one of the world's most male-dominated professions.
Last Year, The Indian Air Force commissioned five women fighter pilots. Flying officers Mohana Singh, Avani Chaturvedi and Bhawana Kanth were inducted into the force in July 2017, whereas Flying officers Pratibha and Shivangi Singh were inducted in December last year. In February this year Flying Officer Avani Chaturvedi flew fighter jet Mig 21.
The Indian Navy has also offered a permanent commission to women officers. In 2016, it started with a modest group of seven and vowed to expand the numbers. Last year in November The Indian Navy got its first women pilot, Sub –Lieutenant Shubhangi Swaroop.
Sitharaman, India's first full-time woman defence minister, stressed on the need to make women empowerment steady. "For every frontier touched or broken by women that frontier should be sustained with more and more women." As of 1st February total of 493 lady officers were serving in the Indian Navy, 1,598 lady officers were serving in the IAF excluding lady officers serving in medical, dental and nursing. And if we talk about women officers in the India Army, As of 1st January 2018, a total of 1,548 lady officers (excluding medical, dental and nursing).
Last Month, The Supreme Court had also pulled up the centre government for not granting permanent commission to lady army officers. The court also asked the government to submit an affidavit regarding this.
(With Agency Inputs)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 07, 2018 05:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).