No combat role for woman officers in near future: Army Chief

NEW DELHI: Citing the "vagaries" of battlefield, Army Chief Bikram Singh today ruled out women officers getting into combat zones in the near future but said they will be given command-roles in the support arms.

Addressing the annual Army day press conference, the General said there were "deviation" from standard operating procedures and "a degree of complacency" in incidents of attacks on troops and units along the Line of Control (LoC) and in cities.

"I don't think we would be prepared at this point of time given the kind of infrastructure we have today to have ladies become part and parcel of infantry battalions.... We have to do it in a systematic manner as there are vagaries of the battlefield and situations which have to be taken into account before we get them into the arena," the Army Chief said.

He was asked when the women officers would be inducted into combat roles in the force.

The Army Chief said the "end-state" for the force was to achieve gender equality and it was creating additional opportunities for the lady officers in the combat support arms such as the Artillery and Engineers.

"We are moving towards enhancing their role in the force by giving them command portfolios and additional avenues for permanent commission," he said.

He said the role of women has increased since they first started joining the force in 1990s as they are now getting more avenues.

On the incidents of attacks on jawans and units along the LoC, he said, "I will be very honest with you. I will confess that there was deviation from the laid down standard operating procedures. There was a degree of complacency as a result of which these incidents occurred."