Indian Navy and Indian Air Force Allows Special Forces MARCOS and GARUD For Women

Indian Navy and Indian Air Force Allows Special Forces MARCOS and GARUD For Women

With another historical move, The IAF has allowed women officers to join the Garud Commando Force, provided they meet the selection criteria. The Indian Navy has also agreed to let women join its special forces, allowing them to serve as marine commandos (Marcos) if selected. The main purpose of this move is to promote gender equality within its ranks.

Also, read this – How to Become Marcos Commando in India 2023

As per the sources, the decision to allow women to join the wing of the special forces was taken last year but the development has only been revealed now.

In these special forces, Soldiers are considered to be strongest as they undergo rigorous training to conduct quick and stealthy responses in denied territories and during unfavourable times.

“Women in the navy can now become marine commandos (Marcos) if they choose to and meet the criteria,” the newspaper quoted an official as saying, who defined the decision as “truly a watershed in India’s military history”.

The IAF raised the Garud commando force in 2004, and in 2015 the IAF took the decision of inducting women into the fighter stream. The option of volunteering to join the Navy’s special forces unit will be open to women officers and sailors who are currently undergoing training and will join the Navy as Agniveer next year.

Also, Read – How to become Garuda Commando 

The option of volunteering to become Marcos will be open to women officers, and sailors who are currently undergoing training at INS Chilka in Odisha, and will join the navy as Agniveers next year. The air force will begin inducting women in the personnel below officer rank (PBOR) cadre under the Agnipath model next year onwards, though the recruitment process has already started.

The development comes after almost 30 years since the military commissioned its first batch of women in the short-service stream. Now, the armed forces are attempting to promote gender equality within its ranks. Lately, landmark judgements have come over the years that overturned rules that restricted women from being granted permanent commissions, therefore pensions, and also made them eligible for National Defense Academy (NDA). Adding to that now this development will prove to be a major step in making women more empowered in defense forces.