At least 100 women Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel have been deployed at 15 border posts along the Sino-India border, making it the first such posting of women combatants in a forward area (those in proximity to combat).The force has recently completed the full process for deployment of the women personnel at select forward posts, ITBP director general Krishna Chaudhary told reporters in Greater Noida.
ITBP celebrates it’s 55th Raising Day
The announcement came while the ITBP marked its 55th Raising Day. The women contingent, trained in warcraft and weapons firing, have been posted after the Border out Posts (BoPs) were made “gender neutral” and other facilities were created for them, Mr. Chaudhary said. The total number of the women personnel, who have been posted at BoPs, is about 100 of which 97 are from Uttarakhand.
500 Women troops commissioned
The ITBP earlier this year commissioned 500 women troops for deployment at India-China border in its ranks after training them for 44 weeks in battle craft and mountain survival. The posts where these women have been deployed are situated at heights between 8,000 feet and 14,000 feet, including the ‘Mana Pass’ border post, the last village on the Indian side in Uttarakhand. The force plans to have women personnel make up at least 40% of its strength at these forward posts. ITBP, which marked its 55th Raising Day on Monday, was raised in the aftermath of the 1962 Chinese aggression. ITBP has a total of 1,661 women personnel in its various ranks and branches of work with the maximum number of 1,033 being in the constabulary ranks.
