More than 10% women officers of every batch commissioned into the Indian Army this year onwards will be inducted into the Regiment of Artillery beginning with the batch of women officers joining the force this month. Their posting areas include the border with Pakistan and China – The Indian Express has reported.
According to a report in a major development, the Army earlier this year had decided to open its artillery regiments to women officers. Army Chief General Manoj Pande had announced the move in January this year, and subsequently the government gave its nod to the proposal last month.
Designated as a combat support arm, artillery regiments comprise various ranges of guns of different calibres, mortars, rocket systems, missiles, remotely piloted aircraft, weapon locating radars, medium range battlefield surveillance radars, long-range surveillance systems etc. The Army is in the process of procuring a range of loitering munitions and other platforms as part of a modernisation plan. It is among the largest arms of the Army after the Infantry.
Around 40 women officers get commissioned into the Army from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai. Two batches get commissioned into the Army every year.The Indian Express report claims that the Passing out Parade will be held this month in OTA and the first of the women officers to join the Regiment of Artillery will be from this batch.
A senior officer told The Indian Express that the officers—along with their male counterparts—will be training for a few months in any of the artillery field regiments or medium regiments post commissioning.
“After spending a few months at the units, they will undergo the young officers’ course where they will be imparted specialised technical training on gunnery,” the officer told the newspaper. They are training only in basics such as section or platoon level tactics prior to the course.
Quoting another officer , the report say that the duration of the course is less than six months. There will be no separate course or syllabus for the women Artillery officers and they will undergo the same course as their male counterparts. After they complete the young officers’ course, they will be deployed to units including along the borders with China and Pakistan.
According to the report, the second officer said it is likely they will get deployed as gun position officers once they are posted to units, which is a critical position as accurate and effective delivery of firepower depends on the officer.
