THE Government of India's decision to include two women officers from the armed forces alongside the Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs during the press briefing on ‘Operation Sindoor’ has been widely hailed as a masterstroke in showcasing women’s empowerment. Many view this move as a partial counterbalance to the selection of the operation’s name, ‘Sindoor’ – a term rooted in stereotypical and patriarchal notions of womanhood.

Although Colonel Sofia Quraishi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh were neither involved in key decision-making nor responsible for the execution of the operation, their presence projected an illusion of women holding commanding power in the armed forces. This visual, however symbolic, was perceived by many as a sign of progress.

Editorials, opinion pieces, and news stories across print and electronic media lauded the move, with much of the credit directed towards the Prime Minister and his party.

However, the deeply entrenched patriarchal and communal mindset of the BJP and its leadership soon came to the fore through a series of objectionable and offensive remarks. Notably, a Madhya Pradesh minister made derogatory comments about Col. Sofia Quraishi, while a Member of Parliament from the same state targeted war widows with similarly insensitive statements. Despite public outrage, both individuals continue to enjoy their positions and privileges, with no disciplinary action taken even within the party.

This mindset is further reflected in the behaviour of the BJP-RSS rank and file, many of whom engaged in online trolling and abuse—directed at the widow of a jawan killed in the horrific Pahalgam massacre, and even at the Foreign Secretary herself. Yet, the BJP-RSS persist in claiming credit for ‘women’s empowerment’, projecting the image of ‘women in the armed forces giving a befitting reply’, and similar narratives, all while enabling a culture of misogyny and impunity.

Amidst the media frenzy surrounding the episode, a significant development went largely unnoticed—the Supreme Court's order on 9 May 2025, issued just a day later. The Court intervened to halt the retrenchment of Short Service Commission women officers in the Indian Army, stating unequivocally that “this is not the time to have these officers running around in the Supreme Court and courtrooms.” The order, grounded in the landmark 2020 Supreme Court judgment on gender discrimination in the armed forces, deserved far greater attention and debate, especially in the context of the current discourse on women’s roles and rights within the military.

Although women officers have been recruited into the Indian Army since 1992 under the Women Special Entry Scheme (Officers), their initial tenure was limited to five years, later extended by an additional five years in 1997, making it a total of ten years. This was subsequently revised to a tenure of ten years, extendable up to fourteen years. In 2006, the Women Special Entry Scheme was replaced by the Short Service Commission (SSC) for women officers, offering service tenures between ten and fourteen years.

While male officers recruited through SSC were eligible to opt for Permanent Commission (PC) –

allowing them to serve until the retirement age of 60 – women officers were excluded from this opportunity. This denial not only curtailed their service tenure but also deprived them of key benefits and entitlements such as pension, full ex-serviceman status, and access to lifelong medical facilities.

In 2003, advocate Babita Puniya filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court challenging the discriminatory denial of Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers in the armed forces. She demanded that women be granted PC on par with their male counterparts. Several women officers from the Army and Air Force joined the legal battle in support of the petition.

In 2010, the Delhi High Court directed the Ministry of Defence to grant Permanent Commission to Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers in the Army and Air Force who had opted for PC but had not been granted it. The Indian Army challenged this order in the Supreme Court, but the apex court refused to stay the High Court's judgment. The matter finally reached the Supreme Court in 2011 through a formal appeal.

The BJP government, which now claims full credit for the inclusion of women in the armed forces, had in fact opposed the granting of Permanent Commission to women officers. In its submissions before the Supreme Court, the government argued that men, especially those from rural backgrounds, would not accept women in command roles. It further contended that male and female officers could not be treated equally in terms of postings due to differences in physical standards and field exposure. The government cited women's domestic responsibilities and motherhood as reasons to deny them parity. Additionally, it claimed that the physical, mental, and psychological demands of combat situations made women unsuitable for such roles.

It was the Supreme Court, in its landmark 2020 judgment, that firmly rejected these regressive arguments and emphasized the need for a change in mindset. The Court ruled that denying Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers violated Article 14 of the Constitution – the fundamental right to equality. The judgment clearly stated that women officers serving under the Short Service Commission (SSC) are eligible for PC and should be allowed to apply on the same terms as their male counterparts. Those not considered for PC must be allowed to serve until the completion of their term or until they reach the age of pensionable retirement. Importantly, the Court held that women officers opting for PC must be given equal opportunities for specialisation, just like men. During the hearing, Col. Safia Qureshi’s name was cited as an example – the first woman officer to lead a multi-national military exercise – underscoring the merit and competence of women when given a fair chance.

It was this Supreme Court order that enabled Col. Safia Qureshi to continue serving in her current post.

The case that came up in May 2025 involved women officers who had been denied Permanent Commission (PC) earlier and had now approached the court to challenge their retrenchment. The Supreme Court, while staying the retrenchment, remarked, “There is some better place now for them to perform… As of date, we would like their morale to be kept high.” Despite continuing its rhetoric on women’s empowerment, the BJP government and the Indian Army persist with discriminatory practices against women officers.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

The Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women, under the 15th Lok Sabha and comprising members such as Brinda Karat, a prominent leader of the women’s movement, submitted a detailed report in 2011 titled “Women in Armed Forces.” The report made significant recommendations to eliminate discrimination, most notably urging the government to grant Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers. It stated, “The Committee, however, find that the charter of duties of women officers and Short Service Commissioned male officers/Permanent Commissioned male officers are just the same and during the 14 years of their service, women officers commissioned in various corps are assigned duties similar to gentlemen officers commissioned into the same corps without any gender discrimination. However, in regard to the grant of Permanent Commission to women, the Army failed to adhere to its policy of non-discrimination.” Despite these clear findings and recommendations, the BJP government later took a position opposing Permanent Commission for women officers.

One major issue is the very low and insignificant representation of women in the armed forces. Excluding those in Medical and Nursing Services, women officers constitute only 3.01per cent of the Army, 2.84 per cent of the Navy, and 8.55 per cent of the Air Force as of 2011. By 2023, these figures rose slightly to 3.8 per cent in the Army, 6 per cent in the Navy, and 13 per cent in the Air Force (according to parliamentary questions). In contrast, the Nursing Services comprise 100 per cent women officers.

The Parliamentary Committee observed that “the women officers were being taken in as a time gap arrangement to compensate the shortage and never ever any planning was done about their future nor any concrete policies formulated for them”. All policies related to women were ad hoc, and no woman was included in the policy-making bodies. Therefore, the Committee felt that “there should be an end to adhocism and long term policies pertaining to women should be taken in consultation with the representatives of the women officers concerned”.

Women in India are still barred from serving in certain core combat roles in the army, such as infantry, armored, and mechanised units. However, some women now serve in the artillery regiment and various support roles. Despite these advances, many glass ceilings remain to be broken within the armed forces.

There have been numerous reported cases of sexual harassment in the armed forces, some of which gained national attention. However, transparency in inquiry proceedings remains limited. The Parliamentary Committee has recommended that the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) against sexual harassment include an external member and that such cases be resolved within a fixed timeframe.

Although the government publicly mourns the sacrifices of armed forces martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation, there is no clear policy for compassionate appointments for their widows or dependents. The Parliamentary Committee has recommended policies for compassionate appointments for widows of those who died in action, whether in the armed forces or other departments. However, it is the NDA government that introduced casualisation in the armed forces through the ‘Agniveer’ scheme, which has stripped away many existing benefits and even deprives personnel of ceremonial honors at death.

Discrimination against women persists in recruitment, promotion, postings, and other areas within the armed forces. The challenges faced by women Agniveers remain largely unexamined. Beyond mere rhetoric on women’s empowerment and highlighting isolated exceptions, it is high time to launch a decisive, “surgical strike” against the discrimination faced by women in the armed forces.