India to train 100 Afghan women soldiers

After kicking off a rehabilitation program in Sri Lanka, India is now looking to train Afghan women for the Afghan National Army.  The initiative is proposed to start in August this year, with 100 women undergoing training.

Currently, 820 afghan women are serving in the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Air Force. To raise the number of women in the army, the country has opted for international training, which they hope will attract more women to join the forces.The Afghanistan government submitted a report to the US congress on Friday to put across its plan. The report claims that the government has set a budget of two million dollars to train the women soldiers of the Afghan National Army. The first batch of non-commissioned women officers and soldiers have started their training in Antalya, Turkey from May 30.

Also read: Special Feature: Women in Indian Armed Forces

Indian and Afghanistan have always shared friendly relations. The two countries also signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2011. And as India’s very own first batch of three women fighter pilots were commissioned this year and prepare to complete their training by next year, it is a promising move that we will be training women in combat from a neighbouring country.

Seems like with gender equality being the hot topic in the country, all the stereotypes and taboos are being brilliantly busted and smashed.

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