Women to be given combat role in Army

    Breaking all gender barriers, the Indian Army is all set to allow women to take up combat roles, a duty assigned to women in very few countries globally. Stating that currently, combat role is an exclusive domain of men, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said that it is time to open up combat positions for women. Initially, there are plans to recruit women for positions in the military police. At present, women are assigned duty in medical, legal, educational, signals and engineering wings of the Army, but they were not given combat roles due to operational concerns and logistical issues. The Army Chief said that he was ready to recruit women as jawans and the matter is being taken up by the government. He believes that women have enough grit and strength to take up challenges and they should be given the opportunity to show it. The role of military police entails policing the cantonments and army establishments, prevent a breach of rules and regulations by soldiers, maintaining movement of soldiers as well as logistics during peace and war, handling prisoners of war and extending aid to civil police whenever required. Women are allowed in combat roles in very few countries like Germany, Australia, Canada, the US, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden and Israel.