Historic Move: Women Set to Join Territorial Army in Pilot Project
The Indian Army is taking significant steps toward gender inclusion by considering the induction of women cadres into Territorial Army battalions as part of a pilot project, according to sources who spoke to PTI on Sunday.
This groundbreaking initiative will initially see women's recruitment limited to select battalions, with plans to expand to other units based on the feedback and success of the initial phase. The move represents a substantial expansion of opportunities for women within the country's defense framework.
The Territorial Army's Legacy and Structure
The Territorial Army in its current form was established when the Territorial Army Act passed on August 18, 1948. The organization was officially launched by India's first Governor General, C. Rajagopalachari, on October 9, 1949.
Conceptualized as a 'citizen soldier's army', the Territorial Army serves dual purposes: it augments organizational requirements while providing opportunities for able-bodied volunteer citizens, particularly those who exceed the age limit for regular army enrollment, to serve the nation in uniform.
Currently, the Territorial Army maintains approximately 50,000 personnel across 65 Departmental TA units including specialized formations for Railways, IOC, and ONGC, along with Non-Departmental TA units comprising Infantry Battalions, Home and Hearth Battalions, and Ecological Battalions affiliated with various Infantry Regiments.
Government's Focus on 'Nari Shakti' in Defense
This development aligns with the government's consistent emphasis on promoting 'Nari Shakti' (women power) within the armed forces. The combat employment philosophy for women in defense services has been described as an evolving process that undergoes regular review.
In a written response to Rajya Sabha in March 2022, then Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt highlighted that women are currently commissioned in the Indian Army across ten arms and services:
- Corps of Engineers
- Corps of Signals
- Army Air Defence
- Army Service Corps
- Army Ordnance Corps
- Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers
- Army Aviation Corps
- Intelligence Corps
- Judge Advocate General Branch
- Army Education Corps
Additionally, women serve in the Armed Forces Medical Services, demonstrating the gradual but steady expansion of roles available to female personnel.
Territorial Army's Proud Service History
The Territorial Army units, affectionately known as "Terriers," have an impressive combat record, having actively participated in major operations including the 1962, 1965, and 1971 conflicts. These citizen soldiers also played crucial roles in Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, Operation Rakshak in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Operation Rhino and Operation Bajrang in the northeast.
The current initiative to include women marks another chapter in the Territorial Army's evolving history, potentially transforming the composition of this vital reserve force while creating new pathways for women to contribute to national security.
As the pilot project takes shape, defense observers will be watching closely to see how this integration progresses and what it might mean for the future of women's participation in India's defense ecosystem.
