Women in the Indian Defence Forces

A Brief Timeline

• 1992: Women first inducted as officers (Short Service Commission, select arms).
• 2016: IAF opens Flying Branch fighter stream to women. Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh become India's first women fighter pilots.
• 17 February 2020: Supreme Court of India in Secretary, Ministry of Defence v. Babita Puniya directs Permanent Commission for women in 10 arms of the Indian Army.
• September 2020: First batch of women officers granted Permanent Commission in the Indian Army.
• August 2021: Supreme Court orders UPSC to allow women candidates to write the NDA exam.
• 2022: First women cadets join NDA Khadakwasla.
• 2024–25: Permanent Commission extended progressively to women officers in additional arms; Navy opens warship deployment for women officers.

NDA — Open to Women Since 2021

The most direct entry. Identical eligibility, written exam, SSB Interview, training and commission as male cadets. Three years of joint tri-service training at NDA Khadakwasla followed by 1 year of pre-commission training at IMA, INA or AFA depending on service preference.

Army Entries for Women

SSCW entries lead to Short Service Commission (initial 10 years, extendable to 14). Following the 2020 SC ruling, women officers in eligible arms can apply for Permanent Commission after 14 years of service.

Navy Entries for Women

The Navy was the first service to grant Permanent Commission to women in eligible branches. Today, women can apply for:

• NDA Naval Wing (since 2021) — Permanent Commission
• CDSE — Indian Naval Academy (selected branches) — Permanent Commission
• INET — across most branches: Education, Logistics, Naval Architecture, Air Traffic Control, Pilot, Observer, Law (in some cycles)

Women officers serve aboard frontline Navy warships including INS Vikrant (the indigenous aircraft carrier) and across the Navy's shore establishments and naval aviation.

Indian Air Force Entries for Women

The IAF is the most progressive of the three services on women's induction:

• Flying Branch (Fighter, Transport, Helicopter) — open since 2016. Women fly Su-30 MKI, Rafale, Tejas, Mirage 2000, MiG-21 and transport platforms.
• Ground Duty Technical (AE-L, AE-M) — open through AFCAT.
• Ground Duty Non-Technical (Admin, Logistics, Accounts, Education, Met, Weapon Systems) — open through AFCAT.
• NDA Air Force Wing — open since 2021.

Permanent Commission for Women — The 2020 Judgment

In Secretary, Ministry of Defence v. Babita Puniya (Civil Appeal Nos. 9367–9369 of 2011, judgment dated 17 February 2020), a two-judge Bench of the Supreme Court of India directed that:

• Women officers commissioned through SSC must be considered for Permanent Commission on equal terms with their male counterparts in 10 arms of the Indian Army (excluding combat arms).
• Command appointments must be open to women officers — overturning the previous restriction that had limited them to staff appointments only.
• The earlier policy distinction between SSC women and PC men officers in respect of pension, gratuity and command was struck down as unconstitutional discrimination.

The ruling has since been progressively implemented. The first batch of women officers received Permanent Commission in September 2020, and subsequent batches have been onboarded annually. Eligibility for PC is open to women SSC officers who have completed 14 years of service in eligible arms.