Shripad Naik is the Minister of State for Defence. (File)
Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik on Monday informed Rajya Sabha that all posts in the Indian Air Force (IAF) are open to all officers including women.
"All posts in the IAF are open to all officers including women subject to vacancies, willingness, suitability, medical fitness and merit as per the policies in vogue," the Minister said in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.
"All officers in the IAF including women are combatants by definition, who may also hold administrative positions at various stages in their career," he added.
Mr Naik further said that the posts which are not yet open to women in the Indian Army are in the Armoured Corps, Infantry Mechanised Infantry and Artillery.
On the issue of recruitment of women in the Indian Navy, Naik said, "Women in Indian Navy are not being inducted in the sea-going avenues Executive Branch (General Service, Submarines Hydro and Information Technology), Engineering Branch (General Service and Submarines) and Electrical Branch."