Indian Army artillery regiments to get women officers for the first time this month

The Indian Army will commission the first lot of women officers in the artillery regiments in April 2023 after they pass out from the Officers Training Academy (OTA) Chennai. Indian Air Force (IAF) has several women officers who are flying fighter jets including MiG-21, Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Rafale while the Navy has also posted them on many of its frontline warships.

All women officers joining artillery regiments will be trained to handle howitzers and rocket systems. The move to induct women officers in the regiment of artillery, which has over 280 units handling a variety of howitzers, guns, and multiple-launch rocket systems has been recognised to give equal opportunities to women in armed forces.

Army Chief General Manoj Pande said that the army has sent a proposal to the government to induct women officers in all the combat regiments of the army. The response of the government came on the March 20, 2023.

About Women officers being inducted in combat regiments

Women officers are still not allowed to join infantry, the main combat arm. Artillery regiments are designated as a support combat arm. However, artillery regiments are on the frontline with many combat battalions deployed along the borders with India’s hostile neighbours China and Pakistan.

The women officers who will get commissioned into the artillery regiments will first serve in the units that they are assigned to. They will then be sent to artillery-specific courses like their male counterparts. They will begin training on the 105mm Indian field guns.

The artillery regiments of the Indian Army have a variety of artillery guns. These guns include 155mm Bofors artillery guns, upgraded Dhanush as well as Sharang guns, the latest and most advanced guns of the artillery, the M777 howitzers of the army which have been inducted from the United States to upgrade and strengthen firepower of the Indian army. The artillery also has self-propelled K9 Vajra howitzers which have been purchased from South Korea and also indigenously produced by Larsen and Toubro (L&T). India has 100 K9 Vajra guns in service.

Due to the government's decision, the women officers will now serve in all arms barring Infantry and Armoured corps which are known to be the combat regiments of the Indian army. Army chief General Manoj Pandey in January announced that a proposal to induct women officers in the Regiment of Artillery had been sent to the government. The army chief said that gender empowerment in the army is a focus area and that women are expected to perform very well in the Artillery regiment.