India has a long history of women’s participation in the armed forces. Though 2023 marked 30 years of commissioned service of female officers in the Indian Army, the participation of women in military affairs goes back a century.
Women have made significant strides in the Indian Armed Forces in the last decade marking a commendable shift towards gender equality in defence roles. While they have long played a significant role in the medical wings and as the United Nations Peacekeeping forces, their inclusion in combat and support roles is ushering in a new generation of empowered female soldiers in all three services of the Indian Armed Forces.
History of Women in Indian Armed Forces
The history of women in armed forces traces before Independence as early as the freedom struggle. Figures like Rani Lakshmibai, Capt. Laxmi Sehgal and Sarojini Naidu have been famous during the Indian freedom struggle.
The role of women in the Indian Armed Forces began to take shape with the formation of the “Indian Military Nursing Service” in 1888. The nurses of the Indian Army participated in several roles during World War I.
The role of women further expanded with the formation of the Women’s Auxiliary Corps, which allowed them to serve in primarily non-combatant roles like communications, accounting and administration.
Women During World War II
The Women’s Auxiliary Corps was founded by the British run-Indian Army to recruit female volunteers for the Second World War in May 1942. However, the women in the British Indian Army did not have the privilege of fighting in a combat role, unlike their European and American counterparts.
But women spies were quite successful during the Second World War. Noor Inayat Khan, a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Corps, served with distinction as a spy, acquiring a legendary status for her service during World War II.
Though the British Indian Army limited women to non-combatant roles, Azad Hind Fauj, founded by freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose, had a women’s regiment named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, which saw active combat when it fought along the Imperial Japanese Army in Burma.
Post Independence
The Army Act, 1950 made women ineligible for regular commissions with certain exceptions specified by the central government. In November 1958, the Army Medical Corps became the first Indian Army unit to award regular commissions to women.
The induction of women officers into the Indian Army through the Women Special Entry Scheme (WSES) started in 1992, after the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.
In February 2019, the government granted a permanent commission to women officers in eight streams of the Army, in addition to the JAG and AEC, which it was granted earlier in 2008, according to Wion.
As of 2023, women are not eligible for service as combat troops in specialist forces such as the Parachute Regiment but they can join some of its non-combat wings like the signal corps, engineers, etc.
Supreme Court Ruling
In a landmark ruling in February 2020, the Supreme Court directed the government to ensure that women SSC officers are granted permanent commission to women SSC officers, subject to their obtaining 60 per cent marks in the assessment subjects, being found medical fit, and having received disciplinary and vigilance clearances.
The directives are currently being implemented by the government and military forces which allows more female colonels and lieutenant generals in the Army.
Women Representation in Three Services
Indian Army: At present, the women are being commissioned in the Indian Army in ten streams namely Corps of Engineers, Corps of Signals, Army Air Defence, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, Corp of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Aviation Corps, Intelligence Corps, Judge Advocate General Branch and Army Education Corps in addition to the Armed Forces Medical Services as Doctors and Military Nurses which is a women-only entry. Currently, over 7000 women are currently serving in the Indian Army.
Indian Navy: The induction of women as officers in the Indian Navy commenced in the year 1991. The strength of women officers in the Indian Navy as of March 2023, is 748 including Medical and Dental officers. In December 2019, Sub-lieutenant Shubhangi Swaroop made history by becoming the first woman pilot for the Indian Navy, with a role in flying the Dornier 228 surveillance aircraft.
Indian Air Force: In the Indian Air Force, he said recruitment officers in the force is gender neutral. By September 2020, there were 1,875 female officers in various roles, including combat and support. In 2015, combat roles for women as fighter pilots were opened up and in May 2019, Bhawana Kanth became the first woman fighter pilot qualified for combat missions. The strength of women officers, as of March 2023, in the IAF is 1,636.
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