Women in uniform: Breaking barriers, marching forward
The long journey of Indian women towards combat roles
Share
 "Veenu Sandhu")
 "Women operating communication systems, as part of the civilian exchange with the Indian Army's Signal Corps, in 1952 (Photo: Ministry of Defence)")
Women operating communication systems, as part of the civilian exchange with the Indian Army’s Signal Corps, in 1952 (Photo: Ministry of Defence)
On September 6, the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, established after the China-India war of 1962, saw another batch of freshly minted cadets earn their pips. Among the 155 officer cadets commissioned into the Indian Army were 25 women.
During their graduation parade at the Parameswaran Drill Square, they marched on a trail blazed by an army of women before them — those who had not only donned the olive green but had also fought for women’s right to permanent commission rather than a short-service stint capped at 14 years. Their right to wear the uniform for as long as their male counterparts was finally granted to them after a landmark Supreme Court order in 2020.
None of the recently commissioned women officers will, however, be allowed in frontline combat roles. Those remain male bastions — unless policy changes. So, core combat arms such as the infantry, armoured corps, and mechanised infantry will not be an option. Until 2023, even the artillery regiment was out of bounds, restricting women from operating rocket launchers, weapon-locating radars, and other heavy-duty equipment.
That said, women have for decades been an integral part of the armed forces in combat-support regiments, in times of war and peace. A small number has also risen to the second-highest rank of lieutenant general.
It has been a long journey since the Army Act of 1950, which did not allow regular commissions to women, although it clarified that exceptions would be made for roles notified by the central government.
 "Apache helicopter, Apache attack helicopter")
On November 1, 1958, women finally got their drill boot in the door with the Army Medical Corps granting them regular commissions as doctors.
Non-medical entry would come much later, in 1992, with women being inducted into the corps of engineers, education, intelligence, ordnance, postal service, signals (the communication backbone of the army, which now includes cyber and satellite communication), the legal department, and so on.
Today, women also serve as paratroopers in their respective regiments, although as non-combatants. They are posted close to the China and Pakistan borders. They have served under the Military Nursing Service much longer (since before Independence). And, they are now also part of a world that belonged to gentlemen cadets until 2021: the National Defence Academy. This, too, came after a Supreme Court intervention.
Besides officers, they are now seen among the rank and file. In 2021, 83 women were inducted as sepoys in the military police. Two years on, the Indian Navy allowed them as sailors, and then the Indian Air Force opened its wings to airwomen. The navy and air force, incidentally, allow women officers in all roles, including combat. The defence academies’ cradles — the all-male Sainik Schools across the country — have also opened the doors to girls.
The Indian Army’s combat units remain the "final frontier".
Written By
Veenu Sandhu
Veenu Sandhu is Senior Associate Editor at Business Standard. Based in New Delhi, she has been a journalist since 1996, and has worked in some of India’s leading newsrooms across print, digital and television media, including NDTV 24x7, Hindustan Times and The Indian Express. At Business Standard, she writes, commissions, edits and gives direction to special, in-depth articles for the newspaper and the digital platform across beats and sectors. She also hosts video shows for Business Standard. Before this, she edited BS Weekend. She is a 2017-18 batch Chevening South Asia Journalism fellow.
 "Veenu Sandhu")
First Published: Oct 06 2025 | 1:55 PM IST
In this article :