Wing Commander Anjali Singh has become the first woman officer to be appointed as an attaché in an Indian embassy abroad. The IAF officer has already taken charge as the Deputy Air attaché at the Indian Embassy in Moscow. So far, the three Services used to send male officers as Defence attachés in more than 95 countries around the world.
Breaking the glass ceiling, Singh, an officer in the aeronautical engineering wing of the IAF, will represent the country in military related matters to Russia. Moreover, the IAF has taken the lead in appointing the first ever woman officer as an envoy besides having at least eight woman pilots now in various stages of training as fighter pilots. The force has more than 1,800 woman officers and many of them are flying helicopters and transport planes besides perform the role of navigators.
With this path breaking appointment, Singh has opened the doors for her women colleagues in other forces also to become attaches thereby signifying growing role of women in the so far male dominated armed forces.
The Navy is also mulling picking women for such prestigious assignments and it was learnt the Service was in the process of suitable candidates for such appointments in foreign countries, sources said on Monday adding the women attaches will play a significant role in projecting India’s military diplomacy.