Indian Navy Will Open All Branches For Women In 2023: Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar

Admiral Kumar added that the first batch of around 3,000 'Agniveers' has been inducted, out of which 341 are women. The Navy had received almost 10 lakh applicants of whom 82,000 were women.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 3 December 2022 1:36 pm

Chief Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar addresses a press conference, a day before Navy Day

The Indian Navy wants to open all its branches for women from next year, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar disclosed on Saturday while addressing a press conference in New Delhi, one?day before Navy Day celebrations.

Admiral Kumar added that the first batch of around 3,000 'Agniveers' has been inducted, out of which 341 are women. The Navy had received almost 10 lakh applicants of whom 82,000 were women. In order to emphasise that the services are gender-neutral, Kumar said that the Indian Navy has previously accepted fighter pilots and female air operations officers, and that women sailors are now being enlisted.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Centre informing Delhi High Court on November 16 that entry of women candidates in certain branches of the Indian Navy University has now been permitted.

''This is a landmark event for us because for the first time, the Navy is inducting women sailors. We have been inducting women officers for about the last 16-17 years, but this is for the first time that we are inducting women sailors,'' Admiral Kumar said.?

''Come next year, we are looking at women officers being inducted across all branches and not just seven or eight branches that they are restricted to as of today. Next year onwards, all branches will be opened for women officers as well,'' the Navy Chief said.

“The women agniveers will all be trained in the same manner as their male counterparts and this includes the same trials including the physical endurance tests etc. There is going to be no difference in training. They will be deployed on ships, airbases, aircraft. We are looking at being a gender-neutral force where we only look at capability of the individual,” he added.

In December last year, Navy officials said 28 women officers were deployed on board around 15 frontline warships, including aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, and the number is set to go up.

Admiral Kumar also said the Navy has assured the government that it will become 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) by 2047. “The government has given us clear guidelines on Atmanirbhar Bharat. We have given assurances that the Indian Navy will become Aatmanirbhar by 2047.”