HISTORIC! Captain Surbhi Jakhmola becomes 1st woman officer posted on foreign assignment at BRO

NewsBharati    12-Jan-2023 11:33:10 AM
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New Delhi, Jan 12: In yet another major move in the induction of women officers in Armed Forces, Captain Surbhi Jakhmola of the Indian Army's 117 Engineer Regiment will be the first woman officer to be posted on a foreign assignment at the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
 
Notably, the officer will be sent to Bhutan as part of Project Dantak. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is an executive road construction force in India that supports the Indian armed forces.
 
Captain Surbhi Jakhmola becomes 1st woman officer posted on foreign assignment at BRO
 
BRO builds and maintains road networks along India's borders and in friendly neighbouring countries. In order to improve border connectivity, BRO was transferred entirely to the ministry of defence in 2015.
 
 
This development came just days after the Indian Air Force deployed woman fighter pilot squadron leader Avani Chaturvedi to Japan for the exercise Veer Guardian 2023, which will take place from January 16 to 26 at the Hyakuri Air Base and its surrounding airspace in Omitama, as well as the Iruma Air Base in Sayama in Japan.
 
 
As reported earlier, the Indian Army is also planning to commission women officers in artillery regiment. While artillery is designated as a ‘combat-support arm’ in the 12-lakh strong Army, it is on the frontlines of war-fighting with units deployed along the unresolved volatile borders with both China and Pakistan.
 
Also Read: MAJOR MOVE! Indian Army plans to commission women officers in artillery regiments
 
Apart from this, the Indian Armed Forces also deployed a woman officer, Captain Shiva Chauhan of the Corps of Engineers, to a frontline post in Siachen Glacier. This is the world's highest battlefield's first such deployment. The officer was assigned to the Kumar post in Siachen last week for a three-month assignment after undergoing rigorous training, according to Army officials.
 
 
According to government data presented last month in Lok Sabha, the percentage of women officers in the Indian armed forces is as follows: The Indian Air Force has the highest proportion of women officers, accounting for 13.69%, followed by the Indian Navy at six per cent and the Indian Army at 3.97 per cent.