New Delhi, Dec 3 (UNI) Women officers have been deployed on all major Indian Navy ships, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said here on Friday.According to Indian Navy officials, so far around 28 women officers have been deployed on 15 major ships of the Indian Navy. Addressing a press conference ahead of Navy Day, Admiral Kumar said the Navy is fully prepared to induct and absorb women across a wide spectrum of roles and responsibilities in the force."In consonance with the government of India's objective to empower women, we have taken measures towards providing additional opportunities for women officers in the Navy. Women officers have been appointed on board almost all major warships," the Navy chief said.

He further said that induction of women officers in the IT cadre will commence soon, and added that the Navy is fully prepared to induct women in a wide spectrum of roles and responsibilities.In an interim order on August 18, the Supreme Court allowed female candidates to appear for the entrance exam of National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy, for gaining commission as officers in defence services.

Going by the order of the Supreme Court, the Union Public Service Commission, which conducts the exams, opened applications for 'unmarried women candidates'.At present, women are recruited in the services as short service commission officers.In another landmark ruling in February 2020, the Supreme Court had ordered that women officers in the Army be granted the option of taking a permanent commission at par with their male counterparts.