Indian Navy Appoints Women Personnel on Warships and as Special Naval Air Operation Officers

Defense News ,India :- In a recent update to the Lok Sabha on Friday, the Indian government announced the appointment of women personnel on warships and as Special Naval Air Operation (NAO) officers in the Indian Navy. Minister of State for Defence, Ajay Bhatt, revealed that women officers are now granted permanent commission in 12 arms and services of the Army, including the medical and dental corps and military nursing service.

Responding to a question about the strength of women in the armed forces, Bhatt mentioned that the experimental scheme initiated by the Indian Air Force in 2015 to induct women officers in all combat roles was regularized into a permanent one in 2022.

Additionally, Bhatt outlined various measures to boost India's defence manufacturing, including the implementation of a 'green channel policy' for the procurement of military stores and spares. This policy awards 'green channel' status to firms with predefined financial and quality credentials, providing a waiver of pre-dispatch inspection and acceptance of stores under supplier's guarantee/warranty.

Highlighting the government's action plans, Bhatt mentioned the establishment of two defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to attract investment for defence industries and develop domestic supply chains. He also introduced the defence testing infrastructure scheme, aiming to set up greenfield defence testing infrastructure as a common test facility.

Moreover, Bhatt noted that defence public sector undertakings are collaborating with various centers of excellence and academic institutes, such as IITs and IIMs, for developmental projects. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has introduced a new transfer of technology (ToT) policy with zero ToT fee for industry partners, promoting the transfer of developed technologies to enhance domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing.