120 women soldiers promoted to Colonel rank: Army Chief

Ahead of the Army Day festivities on January 15, Army Chief on Thursday stated that the Army has been taking key initiatives to bolster women empowerment and promotion of 120 women soldiers to the rank of Colonel marks a significant development.

New Delhi:In a continuous effort to foster gender inclusivity and strengthen women empowerment in the Indian Defence Forces, Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Thursday said "as many as 120 women have been promoted to the colonel ranks and this marks a significant development in terms of women empowerment."

Addressing the annual press at the Manekshaw Centre here ahead of the Army Day celebrations (15 January), the Army Chief said, "the Army has been taking key initiatives to bolster women empowerment and the promotion of 120 women soldiers as Colonel marks a significant development."

He further said as par with their male counterparts, these women soldiers have been deployed in key sectors including in "Baramulla" (North Kashmir which used to be a hot bed of militancy), "Leh" and in other sectors including the women peacekeeping forces in the United Nations.

General Manoj Pande said that "there are as many as 101 women peacekeepers stationed across countries playing a key role in establishing peace." On formulating a gender neutral policy for both male and female defense personnel, the Army Chief said, "The next step in this line is common promotion policy guidelines alongside their male counterparts."

He also spoke about the Indian Army conducting a table-top exercise for women officers from ASEAN countries in December 2023 with an aim to promote gender inclusivity and enhance capabilities of women military personnel in peacekeeping operations.

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