Photo for representation.
New Delhi: The Indian Army is planning to induct women officers in its artillery regiments, sources in the defence establishment said. The Army is said to have sent a proposal to this effect to the government for approval.
If things go as planned, this will be the first time that women will be inducted in a combat role in the Army. So far, women were kept out of infantry, mechanized infantry, armoured, and artillery wings of the organization.
Currently, the Army has 1,705 women officers posted in the Corps of Engineers, Corps of Signals, Army Air Defence, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Aviation Corps, Intelligence Corps, Judge Advocate General’s Department, and the Army Education Corps. Apart from that, they are also in the defence ministry’s Armed Forces Medical Services, which covers all the three services.
With the Army now planning to induct women officers in its artillery wing, which has over 280 regiments operating a range of big guns and rockets, women can soon be seen firing Bofors, M-777, Sharang, and Dhanush howitzers, in addition to K-9 Vajra self-propelled tracked guns and multiple rapid-fire rocket systems.
It may be noted that the Indian Air Force has women flying combat jets. Currently, there are 17 women pilots in the IAF flying warplanes, like M-21s, Sukhoi-30MKIs, and even Rafales. Apart from this, the IAF has nearly 150 women helicopter and transport aircraft pilots.
The Navy too has women officers in its combat fleet and many of them are deployed on frontline warships. However, the service is yet to open its door for women for submarine deployment.
Recently, the Air Force and the Navy decided to induct women in their special forces – Garud and MARCOS.
Read also: Navy, Air Force allow women to join their special forces
According to the defence ministry, inducting women in combat roles in the three services is an evolving process, which is regularly reviewed.
