For the First Time, Indian Army will Train Afghan Women Military Officers

Deployment of women in combat roles around the world is a sign of progress in itself. In a first, Indian Army is taking up the responsibility of training women military personnel. Yes, our own Army women will train women military personnel from Afghanistan at Officers Training Academy in Chennai.

The troop has 17 from the Army and three from the Air Force. Additionally, there are quite a few women from the special forces. Also the group includes personnel from intelligence, strategic and public affairs, medical, education, law and finance departments in the Afghan Ministry of Defence. Also, the Afghan troop has women personnel from different ethnicity and provinces to represent the diversity of the country.

"The aim of the training is to acquaint the officers with basic military orientation including physical training, tactics, communication skills and leadership,"

"The aim of the training is to acquaint the officers with basic military orientation including physical training, tactics, communication skills and leadership," Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan, Manpreet Vohra told NDTV.

This is not the first time that India is training Afghan military and police personnel. In the past, Indian army has trained over 4,000 cadets of the two categories. However, this is the first that Indian army will train Afghan’s women military.

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"Achieving higher representation of Afghan women in the military accords with the principles of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for increased participation in security and peace-building," the Indian envoy said.

Afghanistan plans to increase the number of women in the military to 10% of the entire force. Until August, there were a total of 5,800 Afghan women in the defence forces. Out of which 4,500 women are in the Afghan Defence and Security Forces, 1,200 in army and 100 in the Air Force.

For a couple of years now, India is helping Afghanistan in building its forces. It has given over $ 2 billion aid for development, reconstruction and infrastructure. Apart from that India has also offered 4 Mi-25 attack helicopters to the Afghan Air Force. And in October, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani visited India, the capital accepted to help the country with security related aid.

Picture credit- Counter Strike Media