India Readies for Women on Warships

The Indian navy is developing the policy needed to allow female officers on its warships.

“The living conditions in ships are entirely different. So now we are modifying the ships and designing them as per the conditions required for women officers,” said Commodore B K Munjal. 

He said the country will soon have female officers fighting shoulder to shoulder with men in every field, reports The Economic Times of India.

Currently women do not have combat roles in India’s armed forces, but the navy’s Shivalik Class frigates are already designed to accommodate them.

Women were inducted in the military as nurses in 1927 and as medical officers in 1943. Today, the Indian air force has 1,350 female officers, the army 1,300 and navy 350.

For the first time in history, all-women contingents from the navy, air force and army will march on the nation’s Republic Day on January 26. The move was a suggestion from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.