General Bipin Rawat says Indian Army is not yet ready for women in combat roles 

General Bipin Rawat.

On the sidelines of the passing-out parade of the 135th Course at the National Defence Academy, Army chief General Bipin Rawat told reporters that the Indian Army is not ready for women in combat roles because of unavailability of facilities and making women ready for the hardships.

He said, “We are not yet ready for that (women in combat roles) as facilities have to be created within … Women also need to be prepared for that kind of hardships.”

Gen Rawat, on Friday, justified this by saying comparing ourselves with western nations is unfair because our Army personnel are not only from big cities but from rural areas as well, where the expected intermingling between the two sexes is still not there.

He said, “It is not easy. Let us not compare ourselves with western nations, which are more open.”

He further added, “The basic requirement is understanding the language while talking to other nations, military to military. So, we are looking for women as interpreters.”

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