Indian Army opens Territorial Army doors to women

India Nov 16, 2025

Big news: For the first time, women will soon be able to join the Indian Army's Territorial Army (TA) battalions—not just the Corps of Military Police.
This means women will soon be able to serve in TA Home & Hearth units, which were originally set up for Jammu & Kashmir and North-East regions.

What this means and why it matters

A section of spots in some TA battalions initially, with plans to expand (about 10 out of 750-1,000 soldiers), will now be reserved for women.
The move is seen as part of a bigger push to modernize the Army, boost gender diversity, and give women more opportunities in defense roles—especially in areas like disaster relief and local security.
It's considered a step toward a more inclusive and potentially more effective force.