Changes to be part of all future ships

In a step forward towards deploying women officers on board naval ships, the recently issued tender for cadet training ships has facilities catered for women aboard, a Navy source said on Thursday.

“This is the first tender to be issued with design inputs incorporated for separate facilities for women officers. Such design changes will be part of all future warships to be procured by the Indian Navy,” the source told The Hindu.

In February this year, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for three Cadet Training ships for the Navy, which would be utilised to provide basic sea training for “officer cadets including women officer undertrainees.”

The process is expected to take about three years to conclude the contract and another 18-24 months after that for the first ship to be delivered, the source added. The ships would be capable of undertaking hospital ship duties, providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, undertaking search and rescue missions and non-combatant evacuation operations.

The three Services have been progressively inducting women in all arms and services and the Navy has stated that women officers cannot be posted immediately on board ships as there are no separate facilities.

As of May 2019, women constituted 6.7% of the Navy officers, excluding medical and dental services, according to information given in Parliament.