 | This articlemay requirecopy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. You can assist byediting it.(October 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | This articlecontainsweasel words: vague phrasing that often accompaniesbiased orunverifiable information. Such statements should beclarified or removed.(October 2025) |
_1946-1947.jpg)
_on_duty_in_the_Orderly_Room_of_an_RAF_station_in_India%2c_August_1943.jpg)
In theIndian Armed Forces women are allowed to join mainly incombat service support branches and innon combatant roles. TheIndian Air Force had 13.09% female officers in 2018 and 8.50% female officers in 2014; theIndian Navy had 6% female officers in 2018 and 3% female officers in 2014 and theIndian Army had 3.80% female officers in 2018 and 3% female officers in 2014.[1][2] In 2020, three officers had the rank of lieutenant-general or equivalent, all in the Medical Services. In May 2021, 83 women were inducted assepoys for the first time in theIndian Army'sCorps of Military Police.[3] On 30 March 2023, 273 women were inducted in theIndian Navy as sailors for the first time in the history of the Indian Navy, total 2,585agniveers passed out after successful completion of training fromINS Chilka.[4] TheIndian Air Force got airwomen for the first time in its history on 7 March 2024 as 153 femaleagniveers passed out from the Airmen Training School,Belagavi with 2,127 maleagniveers.[5]
In 1888, theBritish Indian Army (BIA) established amilitary branch known as the Indian Military Nursing Service (IMNS), which recruited female nurses. This was the first time that the BIA recruited female service members into its ranks.[6] Female IMNS nurses served duringWorld War I andWorld War II, 350 of whom either died, were taken asprisoners of war or were declaredmissing in action; one of the largest casualties suffered by the IMNS occurred in February 1942, when the SSKuala, which was transporting several nurses, was sunk byImperial Japanese Armed Forces bombers.[6] In May 1942, theWomen's Auxiliary Corps was established to assist BIA operations; by the end of World War II, it had recruited 11,500 women.[7]
Noor Inayat Khan, who was of Indian descent, served in theSpecial Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II. She was secretly sent toGerman-occupied France to assist in SOE operations there. Khan was betrayed and captured before being subsequently executed at theDachau concentration camp, and was posthumously awarded theGeorge Cross for her service.[8]Kalyani Sen, the first Indian servicewoman who visited the United Kingdom, served in theRoyal Indian Navy'sWomen's Royal Indian Naval Service during World War II.[9] In 2021, theIndian Armed Forces'National Defence Academy entrance exam was opened up to female cadets.[10]
Under the Army Act of 1950, women were ineligible for regular commissions except in "such corps, departments or branches which the central government may specify by way of notifications."[11] On 1 November 1958, the Army Medical Corps became the first unit of the Indian Army to grant regular commissions to women.[12] Since 1992, women were first inducted in to various branches of Indian Army only in short service commission.[11] In 2008, women were first inducted as permanent commissioned officers in Legal and Education corps, in 2020 they were first inducted in 8 more corps as permanent commissioned officers.[13] As of 2020, women are not yet allowed as combatants in the Parachute Regiment of the Indian Army or other special forces, but they can joinparatroopers wings of their respective arms like paraEME, parasignals, paraASC, etc.
Here is the status of women's induction in various branches of army in any role as well as in coveted permanent commissioned officers role.[14][11]
| Serial Number | Name of corps/regiment | Women commissioned | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Army Aviation Corps |  | 2020[14] | Women cannot get permanent commission. |
| 2 | Army Corps of Signals | | 1992[11] | Since 2020 in permanent commission (short service commission).[14] |
| 3 | Army Dental Corps | | 1888 or earlier[6] | Since 1958 in permanent commission (long service commission).[12] |
| 4 | Army Education Corps | | 1992[11] | Since 2008 in permanent commission (short service commission).[14] |
| 5 | Army Medical Corps | | 1888 or earlier[6] | Since 1958 in permanent commission (long service commission).[12] |
| 6 | Army Ordnance Corps | | 1992[11] | Since 2020 in permanent commission (short service commission).[14] |
| 7 | Army Postal Service Corps | | 1992[11] | Women cannot get a permanent commission. |
| 8 | Army Service Corps | | 2020[14] | Since 2020 in permanent commission (short service commission). |
| 9 | Corps of Army Air Defence | | 2020[14] | Since 2020 in permanent commission (short service commission). |
| 10 | Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers | | 1992[11] | Since 2020 in permanent commission (short service commission).[14] |
| 11 | Corps of Engineers | | 2020[14] | Since 2020 in permanent commission (short service commission). |
| 12 | Corps of Military Police | | 2020 | In January 2019 it was decided by theMoD, to induct women into CMP for the first time in PBOR roles, ie non-officer roles (jawans).[15] |
| 13 | Defence Security Corps |  | N.A. | Women cannot get commission. |
| 14 | Intelligence Corps | | 2020 (short service commission)[14] | Capt. Ganeve Lalji was the firstAide de camp to an army commander (Lieutenant General).[16] |
| 15 | Judge Advocate General's Department | | 1992[11] | Since 2008 in permanent commission (short service commission).[13] |
| 16 | Military Nursing Service | | 1888[6] | Major General Lisamma PV is the present Additional Director General (ADG) of the MNS. It is a woman-only regiment in the army.[17] |
| 17 | Pioneer Corps | | N.A. | Women cannot get commission. |
| 18 | Regiments (Armoured) | | N.A. | Women cannot get commission.[18] |
| 19 | Regiments (Artillery) | | 2023 | Since 2023 in permanent commission (short service commission).[18] |
| 20 | Regiments (Infantry) | | N.A. | Women cannot get commission.[18] |
| 21 | Regiments (Mechanised) | | N.A. | Women cannot get commission. |
| 22 | Remount and Veterinary Corps | | N.A. | Women can get commission. |
| 23 | Territorial Army | | 2018[19] | Women cannot get permanent commission. |
As of 2020, women are not allowed to serve in combat units such asInfantry,Mechanised infantry andArmoured corpsList of regiments of the Indian Army.[14]
On 27 August 1976,Gertrude Alice Ram, the military nursing service Matron-in-Chief, became the first woman officer in the Indian Army to attain the rank ofMajor General, and the first female officer in the Indian Armed Forces to attaintwo-star rank. With Ram's promotion, India became only the third nation in the world to promote a woman to flag rank, behind the United States and France.[20]
In 1992, theIndian Army began inducting women officers in non-medical roles.[21] On 19 January 2007, the United Nations first all female peacekeeping force made up of 105 Indian policewomen was deployed toLiberia.[22]Ruchi Sharma became the first operational paratrooper in the Indian Army, joining in 1996.[23]
Priya Jhingan, commissioned in 1993, is one of the first 25 women to join the Indian Army as an officer.[24][25][26] Alka Khurana Sharma also one of the first women to join the Indian Army and served ten years in the Army Ordnance Corps. In 1992, she was the first woman officer to participate in theArmy Day and theRepublic Day parades.[27]SapperShanti Tigga was the first femalejawan (private rank) in the Indian Army who joined in 2011.[16] Priya Semwal's husband had fallen in a counter-insurgency operation in Arunachal Pradesh in 2012; she went onto join as an officer in theIndian Army Corps of EME, the first wife of a jawan whose husband had fallen in a counter-insurgency operation to do so.[16]
Lieutenant ColonelMitali Madhumita, commissioned in 2000, is the first woman officer in India to receive agallantry award, who received theSena Medal in 2011 for exemplary courage shown during theattack on the Indian embassy in Kabul by terrorists inKabul,Afghanistan on 26 February 2010,[28] and operations inJammu-Kashmir[29] and thenortheast states.[28][30][31]
Anjana Bhaduria, who joined the first-ever batch of female cadets in 1992 at theOfficers Training Academy, Chennai, is the first female officer in the Indian Army to win the gold medal. Including Priya Jhingan and her, the first batch of women officers of the Indian Army was commissioned in March 1993.[32][16]Divya Ajith Kumar, commissioned in 2010, is the first female officer to receive the Sword of Honor.[33][34] She led all women contingent of 154 women officers and cadets during theRepublic Day parade of 2015.[34]
Captain Swati Singh, an engineer and then only female officer in her 63 Brigade of the Indian Army, is the first female officer to be deployed atNathu La pass asSignals in-charge.[16] In February 2020Madhuri Kanitkar became the third woman to become aLieutenant General in the Indian Army. Along with her husband who is also a Lieutenant General they will be the first couple to both reach the rank.[35]
On 17 February 2020, theSupreme Court of India said that womenofficers inIndian Army can get command positions at par with male officers. The court said that the government's arguments against it were discriminatory, disturbing and based on stereotype. The court also said that permanent commission should be available to all women, regardless of years of service, and that this order must be implemented in 3 months.[36] The government had earlier said troops would not accept women as commanding officers.[37] Consequently, 8 more corps or branches started to induct women as commissioned officers.[14]
Ganeve Lalji,Corps of Military intelligence, was the first woman to be anAide de camp to an Army Commander (Lieutenant General).[16]
In October 1976, Dr.Barbara Ghosh became the first woman officer in the Indian Navy to attain the rank of commander. Having joined the navy in 1961, she was also the first woman medical officer to receive a permanent naval commission.[38]
Dr.Punita Arora, commissioned in 1968, is the first woman in the Indian Army to reach the second highest rank,Lieutenant General,[39] and the first femaleVice Admiral.[40]
On 8 March 2018,International Women's Day the six-member crew ofINSV Tarini that participated inNavika Sagar Parikrama namely Lt CdrVartika Joshi, Lt CdrP. Swathi, Lt CdrPratibha Jammwal, LtPayal Gupta, LtAishwarya Boddapati, and LtShourgrakpam Vijaya Devi were conferredNari Shakti Puraskar for outstanding contribution towards women empowerment. Theaward was received byLieutenant Shourgrakpam Vijaya Devi, who is Northeast India's first female officer on behalf of team.[41] All six women officers were also awarded theNao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and theTenzing Norgay Adventure Award.[42]
On 2 December 2019, Sub-lieutenantShubhangi Swaroop became the first womanpilot for the Indian Navy. She will be flying theDornier 228 surveillance aircraft.[43] In September 2020, two women officers - Sub LieutenantsKumudini Tyagi andRiti Singh - were deployed onboard warships for the first time. They were selected to serve as airborne tacticians to operate from the deck of warships.[44][45]
On 26 August 2021, Surgeon Vice AdmiralSheila S. Mathai became the fourth woman to be promoted tothree-star rank and the first direct navy woman vice-admiral. Surgeon Vice AdmiralArti Sarin is the third woman to holdthree-star rank in the Indian Navy.[46]
In December 2023,Lieutenant CommanderPrerna Deosthalee became the first woman officer of the Indian Navy to command an Indian Naval Warship.[47]
In July 2025, Sub-LieutenantAstha Poonia ofMeerut was inducted as India Navy's first woman fighter pilot forMiG-29K fighter jets based ataircraft carriers —INS Vikramaditya andINS Vikrant.[48]
Indian Air Force inducts women in all roles, including combat and support roles. As of September 2020, there were 1,875 female officers serving in the IAF, including 10 pilots and 18 navigators.[49]
The first woman officer in the Indian Air Force,Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps and was seconded to the Air Force. She retired as a Wing Commander in the Air Force in 1979.[50]
In August 1966, Flight LieutenantKanta Handa, an IAF medical officer, became the first female IAF officer to receive a commendation for her service during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.[51]
In 1994, women joined the air force as pilots in support role.[52]
InKargil War (May–July 1999),Gunjan Saxena andSreevidya Rajan[52] were among the first women to fly in a combat zone.[16]
In 2006,Deepika Misra became the first IAF woman pilot to train for theSarang display team.[16]
In 2012,Nivedita Singh (Flight Lieutenant) from Rajasthan, became the first woman from the Indian Air Force to summit theMount Everest.[16]
In 2015,Indian Air Force opened new combat air force roles for women asfighter pilots, adding to their role as helicopter pilots in the Indian Air Force.[53]
On 22 May 2019,Bhawana Kanth became the first woman fighter pilot to qualify to undertake combat missions.[54] In 2019, women were inducted in the combat roles inIndian Air Force withAvani Chaturvedi,Mohana Singh Jitarwal, andBhawana Kanth being the first 3 womenfighter pilots[55] MarkingInternational Women's Day on 8 March 8, 2020 all 3fighter pilots were awardedNari Shakti Puraskar.[56]
In 2019, Wing CommanderShaliza Dhami became the first woman officer to be given permanent commission with the Indian Air Force.[57] In 2019, Squadron LeaderMinty Agarwal became the first woman to receive aYudh Seva Medal.[58]
On 25 August 2025, formation led by Squadron LeaderPriya Sharma flew the historic last sortie of MiG 21 BISON alongside Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshall Amar Preet Singh from Nal airbase.[59]
As of 2020, Women are not yet allowed as combatant in the combat specialist forces, such asGhatak Force,para commandos, etc. Indian Army'spara commandos is a voluntary service and the recruitment procedure of Para and Para SF does not strictly mention any gender for the soldiers that can participate. It is not clear if any women have been able to participate or qualify for this ELITE force. The Indian Airforce and the Indian Navy have allowed women to join theGarud Commando Force and theMARCOS respectively. It is not clear as of 2023, if any women have been able to qualify.
Dr.Seema Rao, also known as "India's Wonder Woman",[60][61][62] is India's first woman commando trainer,[63] having trained over 15,000Special Forces of India[64][65] (including the NSG, MARCOS, GARUD)[66] as full-time guest trainer for 20 years without compensation[66][67] as a pioneer inclose quarter battle (CQB).[68][69]
Women inIndian Coast Guard,Assam Rifles andSpecial Frontier Force.
Women can join theIndian Coast Guard in officer ranks as general duty, pilot or law officers.[70] In January 2017, Indian Coast Guard became the first force to deploy four female officers, assistant commandants Anuradha Shukla, Sneha Kathayat, Shirin Chandran and Vasundhara Chouksey, in combat roles on board KV Kuberhovercraft ship patrolling theIndian maritime zone bordering Pakistan and Bangladesh.[71]
In April 2016,Assam Rifles inducted a first batch of 100 female soldiers who had undergone year-long training programme and graduated in the passing-out parade at the Assam Rifles Training Centre and School inShokhüvi inChümoukedima District ofNagaland. They will be deployed atCordon And Search Operation (CASO),Mobile Check Posts (MCP) androad opening operations in various battalions for search, frisking and interrogation of women, crowd control and dispersal of female agitators.[72][73]
In August 2020, around 30 rifle-women from Assam Rifles were deployed along the LoC for the first time. They are led by Captain Gursimran Kaur of the Army Service Corps.[74][75]
Special Frontier Force, created in 1962 as a most covert and elite Special Force unit as the armed wing ofRAW to conduct covert operations behind the Chinese Lines in the event of another Sino-Indian War,[76] inducted 500 female in 1972 for the first time in medical, signals and clerical roles.[77]
In 1992,Asha Sinha, a 1982 Batch IPS Officer, became the First Woman Commandant in theParamilitary forces of India when she was posted as Commandant,Central Industrial Security Force inMazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and after 34 years of service she retired asDirector General of Police (DGP). In 2018 an IPS Officer Archana Ramasundram of 1980 Batch became the First Woman to become theDirector General of Police of a Paramilitary Force as DG,Sashastra Seema Bal, she retired after serving for 37 years.
In March 2016, govt allowed direct-entry women officers in all fiveCentral Armed Police Forces, namelyCentral Reserve Police Force (CRPF),Border Security Force (BSF),Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP),Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) andCentral Industrial Security Force (CISF), allow direct entry to women in junior rank via direct recruitment and also to women officer viaUnion Public Service Commission in supervisory combat roles.[78] In March 2016, Home MinisterRajnath Singh announced that women will be inducted in 33% constable-rank personnel in CRPF and CISF and 15% in the border guarding forces BSF, SSB and ITBP.[78]
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) allows women officers in supervisory combat roles since a long time via UPSC route.[78]
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) allows women officers in supervisory combat roles since a long time via UPSC route.[78]
Border Security Force (BSF) allowed women officers in supervisory combat roles in 2013.[78]
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) allowed women officers in supervisory combat roles in 2014.[78]
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) allowed women officers in supervisory combat roles in 2016.[78] About 1.75% (1,500) of 80,000 ITBP personnel are women, mostly in the rank of constables (c. March 2016).[78]
Women also serve in theNational Security Guard (NSG),Special Protection Group (SPG),Railway Protection Force (RPF),National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) andBorder Roads Organisation (BRO).
National Security Guard (NSG) (Black Cat Commandos) inducted female commandos for the first in 2011–12, however the first discrimination they faced was from the female then Chief Minister,Mayawati who refused to be guarded by the female commandos.[79] In 2015, govt announced that the female NSG Black Cat Commandos, who undergo the same training as their male counterpart, will be deployed in counter-terrorism operations as they also perform VIP protection duties.[80]
Special Protection Group (SPG) inducted female commandos in 2013, and then Prime MinisterManmohan Singh's wifeGursharan Kaur became the first SPG protectee to have women commandos.[81][82]
Railway Protection Force (RPF) has female unit, Shakti Squad. In 2015, 25-year-old Debashmita Chattopadhyay became first female Assistant Security Commissioner (ASC) in RPF who took charge of the Shakti squad of RPF women constables.[83]
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) got its first woman commander in 2015 when 40-years old senior Commandant Rekha Nambiar joined the 4th Battalion based in Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu to lead 1,000 personnel-strong all-men battalion.[84]
In June 2021, Vaishali Hiwase became the first women commanding officer to command aBRO Road Construction Company part of theIndia-China Border Roads.[85]
Eight women have been promoted tothree-star rank in theIndian Armed Forces. All of them are from the Medical Corps and graduate medical doctors of theArmed Forces Medical College (AFMC).Surgeon Vice AdmiralArti Sarin is the first woman to serve asDirector General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) and the highest-ranking woman officer in the history of theIndian Armed Forces.[86]
| S.No | Photo | Name | Branch | Date of promotion | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Lieutenant GeneralPunita Arora PVSM, SM, VSM |  Indian Army | 1 September 2004[87] | First woman to be elevated to three-star rank. Later moved to theIndian Navy and held the rank ofVice Admiral.[88] |
| 2 |  | Air MarshalPadma Bandopadhyay PVSM, AVSM, VSM |  Indian Air Force | 1 October 2004[89] | First woman to be promoted to three-star rank in theIndian Air Force.[90] |
| 3 |  | Lieutenant GeneralMadhuri Kanitkar PVSM, AVSM, VSM | Indian Army | 29 February 2020 | Last served as Deputy Chief of theIntegrated Defence Staff (Medical) (DCIDS (Med)) atHQ IDS.[91] |
| 4 | _of_the_Armed_Forces_Medical_Services.jpg){kind=icon} | Surgeon Vice AdmiralSheila S. Mathai NM, VSM |  Indian Navy | 26 August 2021 | Last served as Director General (Organization and Personnel) of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).[92] |
| 5 |  | Lieutenant GeneralRajshree Ramasethu | Indian Army | 16 September 2021 | Former Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC).[93] |
| 6 |  | Surgeon Vice AdmiralArti Sarin AVSM, VSM | Indian Navy | 5 October 2022 | CurrentDirector General Armed Forces Medical Services. First woman to serve as DGAFMS and the highest-ranking woman officer in the history of the Indian Armed Forces.[94] |
| 7 |  | Lieutenant GeneralSadhna S Nair VSM | Indian Army | 23 October 2023 | Current Director General Medical Services (Army). Earlier Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) in the rank ofAir Marshal.[95] |
| 8 |  | Surgeon Vice AdmiralKavita Sahai SM, VSM | Indian Navy | 1 February 2024 | Current Director General Medical Services (Navy).[96][97] |
{{cite web}}:|last1= has generic name (help)| Leadership | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organisation |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Personnel |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Equipment |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Operations |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Auxiliary forces | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other topics | |||||||||||||||||||
