Gender, Command, And Combat: The Debate Over Women's Roles In Indian Armed Forces

As debate on women in command roles in Armed forces rages, those in the service say it needs strategic approach than looking at gender bias.

At 26, Captain Tania Shergill of the Indian Army led an all-male marching contingent of the Corps of Signals at the Republic Day parade in 2020. Shergill was celebrated as a symbol of ‘Nari Shakti’ (Women Power), exemplifying that women can don any role and excel in it. Three years later, Lieutenant Commander Prerana Deosthali became the first woman commanding officer of INS Trinkat in Goa, reinforcing the concept of a gender-neutral military. This year, two Indian Navy officers, Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A, embarkedon a global circumnavigation aboard the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini.

By placing women in prominent and commanding roles, the forces gradually advance gender equality across all ranks while preserving their ethos and values. However, this sense of progress was quickly tempered after a top general, Lieutenant General Rajeev Puri, wrote a letter to Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari.

Captain Tania Shergill of Indian Army led an all-male marching contingent of the Corps of Signals at the Republic Day parade in 2020 (ANI)

The five-page letter, dated October 1, lists various issues reportedly affecting army units commanded by women officers in the sensitive eastern sector. These include concerns about officer management, a perceived sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, an exaggerated tendency to complain, over-ambition, and a lack of ambition.

The letter questioned women COs centralising decision-making attributing to their training, "not trained to be commanders”, “desire to prove oneself in a predominantly male field”, “perceived gender bias” and “ensuring a mean façade”.

While some women officers find the corps commander's letter unsettling, as it questions their work ethic, others argue that the issue is not about gender and that officers receive adequate training for their roles. The first Air Marshal of the IAF, Padmavathy Bandopadhyay, said, "Not every man gets a commanding role, and similarly, not every woman will. There is no distinction between men and women; when we wear the uniform, we are all officers. You must prove yourself, and no one is questioning anyone's capabilities—it’s the same for everyone."

Lt Cdr Prerna Deosthalee was named as the first woman officer to command an Indian Naval Warship. (ANI)

Shift in gender dynamics

The armed forces have started inducting women in command positions after the Supreme Court's order on February 17, 2020 that ruled to grant permanent commissions to women in the Indian Army’s non-combat support units, giving them the same opportunities as their male counterparts should they choose to continue after completing their Short Service Commission (SSC).

While the Supreme Court's decision has been welcomed by the armed forces, including former Army Chief Gen M.M. Naravane, the debate over the practicality of inducting women into direct combat and command roles remains ongoing. Despite the court's ruling, core commanding roles—such as those involving tanks and combat positions in the infantry—remain off-limits to women in the Army.

Commodore Srikant Kesnur (retd) of Indian Navy explains that battle is a serious business and armed forces are not in the job of social engineering. "The sole job of the armed forces is to succeed in combat. A nation can afford to lose in sport or any other thing but it can't afford to lose a war. The other point of view is that an institution as large as the armed forces should benefit from half of the population and they can bring forth several strengths. I think where a bit of difference comes in the two arenas is to what extent should you put women in commanding roles? The command is hard work where you have to lead and take a lot of decisions," says Commodore Kesnur.

He further explains the argument made by General Puri about women not being trained for commanding roles. "Every service has different issues. I don't think it is a problem when a woman is commanding a warship if she is sufficiently trained and if she goes through the same training and procedures as any man. Can women command submarines? Yes, provided they go with the same training? Can they fly aircraft? They are doing that.”

The situation is a tad bit complicated when it comes to the Army as many soldiers in the force, according to Commodore Kesnur, tend to be from smaller parts of the country and have less exposure.

“Their sensitivity and ability to be commanded by a woman is a bit more rigid (in the Army).. That's not the case with the Navy or Air Force. Even though it is not a problem, it's the argument. Sometimes, women also imitate to be like male officers, they try to be on rough pitches," he explains.

Major Shweta Mehra (name changed), a Regimental Medical Officer who has served with a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion of the Indian Army, echoes Commodore Kesnur's views, emphasising the unique challenges of commanding roles in the Army.

"In the Air Force and Navy, brainpower is important, but in the Army, physical strength is a primary requirement. Army personnel operate in harsh and adverse conditions, and the enemy won’t hesitate to shoot simply because the soldier is a woman. This isn’t about discrimination between male and female officers but about ensuring women are posted to places that are more accessible and manageable,” she explains.

Flt Lt Parul Bhardwaj (Captain), Flying Officer Aman Nidhi (Co-pilot) and Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal (Flight Engineer) today became country’s first ‘All Women Crew’ to fly a Medium Lift Helicopter. They flew a Mi-17 V5 (ANI)

Combat or leadership

In the Indian Armed Forces, roles such as infantry, artillery, and armoury in the Army, offensive and defensive maritime operations in the Navy, and airfield and ground defence in the Air Force have traditionally been reserved for men.

However, there have been instances of women serving in combat or leadership roles. While opportunities for women to take on combat and commanding roles have opened up in the Air Force and Navy, the Indian Army remains more conservative.

Globally, only a few countries, including the US, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, and Israel, have allowed women to serve in combat roles.

“This isn’t about questioning women’s abilities or intelligence. Women have held command roles in many sections of the Indian Army. We even have women generals, so it’s not accurate to say that women are excluded from leadership positions,” says Adarsh Gill (name changed), a colonel of the Indian Army posted on the Northern border.

According to him, combat and command roles are distinct, and the perception that they overlap is "misguided".

Sub-Lieutenant Shivangi became the first-ever woman pilot in the Indian Navy to steer a fixed-wing Dornier maritime reconnaissance aircraft. (ANI)

Defining equal standards

It is important to acknowledge the vital non-combat support that women officers provide to soldiers on the battlefield. Currently, women can join the defence forces through various avenues, including Combined Defence Services, Technical and Non-technical branches, Mechanical roles, Short Service Commission (SSC), National Cadet Corps (NCC), Judge Advocate General, Accounts, Logistics, Education, Architecture, and as a martyr’s wife.

The inclusion of women in frontline combat roles has long been a contentious issue. The process of inducting women into the armed forces often involves different selection and training criteria. While men are trained under the harshest conditions, women are sometimes granted a degree of leniency.

According to Colonel Amardeep Singh, SM (retd), the service conditions should clearly define the job descriptions for both men and women. “If women meet the same qualitative requirements and pass the same tests, everyone who qualifies should be given an opportunity. Conditions regarding marriage, pregnancy, and similar factors should be explicitly outlined, and those willing to accept them should be allowed to serve,” he suggests. Commodore Kesnur concurs, stating, “The standards must be the same for everyone—no different for men and women. War is gender-neutral.”

Beyond gender

While civilians and some armed forces personnel may perceive the forces as discriminatory in their processes, women in the service often deny any bias. For them, leadership is about commanding a team that must trust its leader. However, some acknowledge that certain officers may struggle to take orders from women.

“I was posted directly to a battlefield, and the battalion was Rajput. They are culturally chauvinistic and prefer male doctors over females. But that should not be a reason to exclude women from commanding or combat roles. The mindset needs to change,” says Regimental Medical Officer Mehra.

She explains that men in the team often judge women based on their physical capabilities. “If you say you want to be a commanding officer or combatant, you’re asking your team to risk their lives on your orders. For that to happen, the team must trust your judgment. They will only follow you if they believe you are more capable than they are because they are putting their lives in your hands. If they see a woman with lesser abilities, they won’t accept her leadership, and it could lead to serious issues on the battlefield,” explains the female officer.

Women in commanding and combat positions (ETV Bharat)

Acknowledging the bigger goal

Emphasising gender equality may seem like an emotional appeal, but are we overlooking a greater objective: the security of the nation? Defence personnel argue that it’s more about strategy and practicality.

“You cannot compromise on strategy simply to accommodate a specific gender in commanding or combat roles. What are we trying to prove? Decisions must be guided by reason and logic,” Medical Officer Mehra opines.

Captain Atool Sinha, NM (retd) from the Indian Navy says that the young male officers seek a leader who can surpass their abilities while also forming a genuine connection with them.

“A soldier on the frontline expects his leader to understand his struggles, such as not receiving a letter from home, worrying about a damaged roof back in his hometown, or longing for a few days of leave despite the demands at the border. A leader earns trust by showing understanding and steadfastness, and in return, the soldier respects him. However, if a leader falters in physical resilience, emotional strength, integrity, loyalty, or any other essential qualities, he loses the respect of those he leads,” says Captain Sinha.

Timeline of women being inducted into armed forces (ETV Bharat)

Feminism Vs Tradition

Lt Gen Puri's letter highlights the concern over "a perceived sense of entitlement" among women commanding officers and also points out the issue of “political correctness”.

“Should greater sensibilities be shown and whether women should think less of privileges and more of their performance,” asks Commodore Srikant Kesnur.

According to him, privileges are earned and not just received by those in commanding roles. “There's a complex cocktail in the army when you go to the frontline," he says.

Commodore Kesnur says feminism has been pushed too far when it comes to roles and achievements.

“Men have been doing the same job for years, but when we add a woman to it, it becomes a big deal. This has been pushed too much. Now everything has become more about being politically correct than the issue at hand.”

The letter in question should never have been made public, the Commodore says describing how the matter should have been handled. “In a correct situation, the three-star general would have written the letter to his boss, in this case General Tiwari, then it could have gone to the army chief and discussion would have happened with other forces as well,” he says. "There is a procedure to be followed before questioning the Supreme Court's judgment. Writing a letter, and leaking it, is not going to change the policy. It is only going to create opinions and discussions,” says Commodore Kesnur in conclusion.