Women in the Indian Armed Forces
In the Indian Armed Forces women are allowed to join in combat service support branches and in non combatant roles only and they can only become officers except the Corps of Military Police of the Indian Army where women can become sepoys too. The Indian Air Force's officer corps had 13.09% women in 2018 and 8.50% in women 2014; the Indian Navy's officer corps had 6% women in 2018 and 3% women in 2014 and the Indian Army's officer corps had 3.80% women in 2018 and 3% women in 2014. In 2020, three officers had the rank of lieutenant-general or equivalent, all in the Medical Services. In May 2021, 83 women were inducted as sepoys for the first time in the Indian Army, in the Corps of Military Police.
Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck inspects Women's Auxiliary Corps (India) personnel, c. 1947
A Women's Auxiliary Corps private on duty in the orderly room of a Royal Air Force station in India, August 1943
Women of the Women's Auxiliary Corps Naval Wing, 1945
A female officer of the Indian Army briefing Russian soldiers during a joint exercise in 2015.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Punita Arora PVSM, SM, VSM is a former Flag Officer of the Indian Navy and the Indian Army. Arora was the first woman in the Indian Armed Forces to be promoted to a Three-star rank. She held the ranks of Lieutenant General in the Indian Army and Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy.
Punita Arora