Deployment of women in combat role to be discussed

New Delhi: Deployment of women in combat duties would be discussed during a meeting between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and the three service chiefs next week, top defence sources said on Thursday.

The development came just hours after IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha announced that his force was looking at recruiting women for fighter pilot roles.

The sources said that Defence Ministry is likely to take a favourable call on the proposal mooted by the IAF.

"Parrikar will hold a meeting with all the three service chiefs on this issue in the next 2-3 days," a source said.

The three services were till now cold to the idea of having women in combat roles, citing a number of reasons ranging from deployment issues to lodging and physical parametres.

In a first for the Indian armed forces, the IAF chief today said, it is planning combat role for women by inducting them as fighter aircraft pilots.