The Union Ministry of Defence in India is reportedly planning to increase the participation of women in the Republic Day parade for 2024. According to an office memorandum issued last month, the parade will feature “only women participants” in contingents, band performances, tableaux, and other events during the parade at Kartavya Path.
The memorandum was issued after a debriefing meeting in February on the Republic Day parade held earlier this year. The meeting was chaired by defence secretary Giridhar Aramane, and representatives from the service headquarters, Ministries of Home Affairs, Culture, and Education was also present.
The memorandum directs all participating ministries, departments, organizations, and agencies to start preparing for this and to update the progress regularly. While the decision has drawn flak from various corners, sources in the government said that it would effectively mean having the maximum representation of women in the parade, given that certain marching contingents like that of the Army’s infantry cannot have women participants.
The Army has yet to open core combat arms like infantry, mechanized infantry, and armored corps for women, although it recently inducted five women officers in the Regiment of Artillery, which is a combat support arm.
Women officers in the Armed Forces have been leading contingents and participating in the parade in strength for the last few years. The Indian Air Force’s marching contingent in the Republic Day parade this year was led by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy, a Mi-17 helicopter pilot, and Lt Cdr Disha Amrith, an observer with the Navy’s Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft, led the naval contingent of 144 sailors. In the parade, a team of “daredevils” motorcycle riders from the Corps of Signals was co-led by a woman officer. Women were part of the Border Security Force camel contingent for the first time this year.
The move is being seen as an attempt to increase the representation of women in the defence forces, and to open up additional avenues and senior command roles for them while preparing them for leadership roles in the future. The memorandum has directed all participating agencies to start preparation for this and to update the progress regularly.