In a move to ensure equal opportunities to women in the defence forces, the Supreme Court has directed the Central Government to grant permanent commission to all women officers in the Army within three months. The judgement was pronounced on February 17.

The Court termed the Central Government’s arguments related to physiological limitations and social norms for denying them command posts as “disturbing”.

A bench of the Supreme Court said women officers in the past have brought laurels to the country and change of mindset is required on the part of the government to put an end to gender bias in armed forces.

The bench also said that it is of the opinion that physiological features of women has no effect in granting permanent commission and they have to be given equal opportunity at par with their male counterparts in the armed forces.

On the same day, the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has said that India is looking at setting up a separate theatre command for Jammu and Kashmir.

General Rawat also said that the air defence command is to be rolled out by the beginning of 2021 and the Peninsula command will be set-up by the end of 2021. He also stated that Indian Air Force will lead the air defence command. All-long range missiles as well as air defence assets will come under the Indian Air Force.

He also announced that the Indian Navy’s Eastern and Western commands will be integrated into the Peninsula command. He also stated that India will also have a separate training and doctrinal command as well as logistics command.