Dear Editor,
The Indian Air force has taken the lead in allotting a bigger role to women officers by giving them combat role as fighter pilots. India has a very limited – 5.3 per cent – share of women officers in its armed forces. SA has a strength of 26.6 per cent and Australia 12.8 per cent women in their forces. The highest number of women in the Indian Armed Forces belongs to the IAF, with 11.4 per cent, and the army the lowest, with 3.5 per cent. Mohana, Bhawana and Avani will create history as the first batch of fighter pilots. If women can fight as LTTE fighters and Maoists cadres in jungles with minimum facilities and hostile environment, then surely they can perform in the armed forces as combat officers.
Wg Cdr Jasbir S Minhas (Retd),
Via-e-mail