Another glass ceiling breaks: Women soldiers soon in Territorial Army, Pg 1

Key Highlights:

• The Indian Army plans to induct women soldiers into its Territorial Army (TA) battalions starting 2025-2026.
• Vacancies have been released for Infantry Battalions TA Home & Hearth (H&H), with a section strength earmarked for women.
• A TA H&H battalion, typically comprising 750 to 1,000 soldiers, will now include a section of approximately 10 women soldiers.
• This initiative will begin with select TA H&H battalions in the northern and eastern theaters and will expand to include all such battalions.

Detailed Insights:

• TA H&H battalions consist of local populations and operate in northern and eastern regions for counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism.
• These battalions support the regular Army and civil administration through intelligence gathering, road opening, and disaster relief.
• Currently, women are excluded from core combat arms like Infantry and Armored Corps, but serve as officers in combat support arms.
• The decision to induct women into TA H&H battalions aims to provide more opportunities for women in the armed forces.
• The Territorial Army allows citizens to volunteer and receive military training to serve the nation during emergencies.
• In May 2025, Operation Sindoor activated 14 of 32 infantry battalions of the Territorial Army for deployment until February 2028.
• The TA has approximately 50,000 personnel across various units, including departmental, non-departmental, and ecological battalions.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Territorial Army (TA): A volunteer-based part of the Indian Army that allows citizens to receive military training and serve during emergencies.
• Infantry Battalion TA Home & Hearth (H&H): TA units comprised of local populations, focused on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in their respective regions.
• Counter-insurgency/Counter-terrorism: Military and political actions taken to combat insurgency and terrorism within a country.