Article Posted on : - Feb 07, 2024

Parliamentarians listen to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi' replies to the 'Motion of Thanks' on the President's address in Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Women personnel are being appointed onboard warships and also as special naval air operation officers in the Indian Navy, the government has said.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt last Friday said permanent commission is being granted to women officers in 12 arms and services of the Army in addition to the medical and dental corps as well as military nursing service.

He was replying to a question on the strength of women in the armed forces in the Lok Sabha.

Bhatt said the experimental scheme to induct women officers in all combat roles initiated by the Indian Air Force in 2015 was regularised in 2022 into a permanent one.

"Women officers are being appointed onboard warships in afloat billets and also as Special Naval Air Operation (NAO) officers in the Indian Navy," he said without elaborating.

On various measures to boost India's defence manufacturing, he said a 'green channel policy' for procurement of military stores and spares has been launched for awarding 'green channel' status to firms having predefined financial and quality credentials.

Bhatt was highlighting various action plans that the government has rolled out to strengthen the country's defence ecosystem.

"A green channel policy for procurement of defence stores and spares has been launched for awarding green channel status to firms having predefined financial and quality credentials," he said.

Bhatt was replying to a question.

"Grant of green channel certificate provides waiver of pre-dispatch inspection and acceptance of stores under supplier's guarantee/warranty against the contracts concluded by various procurement agencies under the Ministry of Defence," he said.

The minister said two defence industrial corridors -- one in Uttar Pradesh and another in Tamil Nadu -- have been set up to attract investment for defence industries and develop domestic supply chains.

He said a defence testing infrastructure scheme has been launched to boost domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing with primary aim to set up greenfield defence testing infrastructure as a common test facility The minister also noted that the defence public sector undertakings are having tie-ups with various centres of excellence and academic institutes like IITs and IIMs for various developmental projects.

Bhatt said the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has laid down a procedure by which its developed technologies are transferred to industries by entering into Licensing Agreement for Transfer of Technology.

The DRDO has evolved a new transfer of technology (ToT) policy and procedures with zero ToT fee for its industry partners, he said.