The Defence Ministry on Tuesday said it had taken steps to ensure implementation of permanent commissioning of women officers in the armed forces, in line with the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in August 15 last year, Modi had announced that women officers recruited under the short service commission in the armed forces will have the option of taking up permanent commission, which he described as a “gift” to the “brave daughters”. “The Ministry of Defence has taken steps to ensure implementation of announcement made by the Prime Minister on August 15, 2018 regarding grant of permanent commission to women officers in the armed forces,” the ministry said in a statement.
In so far as the Indian Air Force (IAF) is concerned, “all branches, including that of fighter pilots, are now open for women officers”, the statement added. “In Indian Navy all non-sea going branches/cadre/specialisation have been opened for induction of women officers through short service commission. In addition to education, law and naval constructor branch/cadre, women SSC officers have been made eligible for grant of permanent commission in the naval armament branch, at par with male officers,” it said. The proposal for induction of “three new training ships” for the Navy is under way, the ministry also said in the statement. “This will provide the requisite infrastructure for training of both men and women officers. Indian Navy will start inducting women in all branches, once the training ships are in place.”
