Indian Government Extends Equal Leave Benefits to Women Soldiers

In a groundbreaking decision, the Indian Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, has given approval to a historic proposal that grants of equal maternity, child care, and child adoption leaves to women serving in the Indian Armed Forces, including soldiers, sailors, and air warriors.

The new rules mark a significant step towards gender equality within the military, ensuring that female personnel of all ranks receive the same leave benefits as their officer counterparts. These extended leave provisions aim to address various family and social issues relevant to women in the military and greatly improve their work conditions, enabling them to effectively balance their professional and family lives.

“The Defense Minister, Shri @rajnathsingh, has approved a proposal for the extension of rules for maternity, child care, and child adoption leaves for women soldiers, sailors, and air warriors in the Armed Forces, aligning them with their officer counterparts. These leave provisions will now be equally applicable to all women in the military, regardless of their rank,” announced the Defense Minister’s Office.

The decision aligns with the Defense Minister’s vision of promoting the inclusive participation of women in the Armed Forces, irrespective of their ranks. These extended leave rules will play a crucial role in addressing women-specific family and social issues within the military, ultimately enhancing the work conditions for women and enabling them to strike a better balance between their professional and family lives.

The Ministry of Defense emphasized the significant progress made in the inclusion of women as soldiers, sailors, and air warriors in the Indian Armed Forces. Women have been actively involved in various roles, from being operationally deployed in challenging environments like Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, to serving on warships and excelling in aviation roles. A key milestone was achieved in 2019 with the recruitment of women as soldiers in the Corps of Military Police within the Indian Army.

This decision marks a pivotal shift in the Armed Forces’ approach to gender equality, acknowledging the importance of supporting female service members throughout their careers. Previously, maternity and childcare benefits were primarily accessible to female officers, leaving those in other ranks with limited options. With the extension of these rules, all women in the military will now enjoy the equal leave benefits to maternity leave, child care leave, and child adoption leave as their officer counterparts.

The Indian government’s decision to grant equal leave benefits to women soldiers in the Armed Forces is a significant stride towards gender equality and improved work conditions within the military, ensuring that all female service members can fulfill their duties while also managing their family lives effectively.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Zee News English