No combat role for naval women yet

NEW DELHI: Women in the Indian Air Force may be on their way to becoming fighter pilots but there is no plan to offer them combat roles in the Navy.

The Narendra Modi government on Saturday approved an IAF plan allowing women to fly combat aircraft from June 2017. However, the existing role for naval women may be widened with the government considering a proposal to let them fly surveillance planes.

Speaking on the sidelines of a naval commanders’ conference, defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said more flying areas would be opened for naval women “except where it requires staying overnight” on warships. The Indian military accounts for nearly 3,300 women. Warships, tanks and infantry combat positions are still off limits for female officers, who were allowed to join the armed forces outside the medical stream for the first time in 1992.

On the long-standing demand of veterans for one rank, one pension (OROP), the minister said the notification would be issued shortly after the Bihar poll process ended, hopefully by November 10.

On Sunday, agitating veterans had written a letter, signed in blood, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for early implementation of the scheme announced by Parrikar on September 5.

The defence minister also said India needed to be more aggressive in defending its territory, but it should not be just for the sake of aggression. HTC