TAGS :
- Subtotal:
- $130.00
Army to Welcome First Cohort of Female Combat Officers
In January, the Indian Army made the decision to integrate women into the Regiment of Artillery and now, the first group of female officers have been assigned to join the Army's combat stream in May.
According to a source, “Of the close to 40 women officers about to pass out of the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, close to 10 officers have been allotted the Artillery.”
This month-end, the trainee officers at OTA will participate in the passing out parade, marking their commissioning into different arms of the Indian Army. Following the ceremony, the officers will take leave to spend some time at home before reporting to their respective units.
In January, the Indian Army announced its decision to induct women into combat roles, beginning with the Regiment of Artillery. The Ministry of Defence has stated that the employment of women in combat roles is a continuously evolving process, and is subject to regular review.
With almost 300 units, the Regiment of Artillery is regarded as the second largest arm of the Indian Army, following the infantry. Known as the "Arm of Decision," artillery employs a range of weapons including missiles, guns, mortars, rocket launchers, and unmanned aerial vehicles. At present, women officers have not been granted permanent commissions into the infantry, armoured, artillery, and mechanised infantry.
The Indian Army currently has 1,705 women officers serving in 10 different arms and services. These include 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 Branch, and Army Education Corps, in addition to the Armed Forces Medical Services.