Indian Army Breaks Gender Barrier: Women in Artillery

Image source: The New Indian Express

The Indian Army made history on May 1, 2023, by commissioning five women officers into the Artillery unit, breaking the glass ceiling in combat roles. The move comes after the government allowed women to take on combat roles in the armed forces in 2022, marking a significant milestone for gender equality in India.

The five officers, who were commissioned at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, were among the 47 officers who graduated from the academy on Saturday. They were selected after undergoing rigorous training, which included physical and mental tests, as well as academic training.

The women officers will now join their respective Artillery units across the country and will be responsible for operating and maintaining artillery guns. They will also be trained to lead and command their units during times of conflict.

The Indian Army has been working towards gender equality in recent years, with women being inducted into various roles in the armed forces. In 2019, the first batch of women soldiers was inducted into the Corps of Military Police, followed by the induction of women pilots in the Indian Air Force in 2021.

The commissioning of women officers in the artillery unit is a significant step towards breaking the gender barrier in combat roles.

This move by the Indian Army is also a significant step towards fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to promote gender equality and empower women and girls worldwide.

Re-reported from the story originally published in The New Indian Express