Over 3,500 women officers in armed forces

NEW DELHI: Over 3,500 women officers are serving the armed forces at present, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Friday, adding that “further possibilities” for women in combat roles were being examined.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Parrikar said the army has 1,514 women officers, the navy has 439, and the air force has 1,584 women officers. The number totals up to 3,537.

These numbers exclude the medical and dental branches.

Barring the IAF which recently inducted three women fighter pilots, women are not in combat roles in the Indian armed forces.

While the exact strength of Indian forces are not revealed due to strategic reasons, it is said to be around 1.3 million active personnel.

The number of officers is, however, far less. The authorised strength of officers in the army is 48,000, for the navy it is 9,000 and for the air force it is 12,000.

The information furnished by the minister said between 2013-15, 303 women officers were inducted in the army, while in 2016 so far, 67 women officers have been taken in.

The navy inducted 142 women officers between 2013-15, and the IAF inducted 522.

In 2016, the navy has inducted 20 women officers so far and the IAF 85 till the beginning of July.

— IANS