A leaked letter from Lieutenant General Rajiv Puri has ignited a debate about women in the Indian Army.

The October 1 letter, based on an “in-house review” of eight colonel-ranked women officers under his command, raises concerns like “ego issues,” “lack of empathy,” and challenges in leadership styles. This has divided opinion — is the letter reflective of ingrained patriarchy in the military or a critique of preparedness for command roles?

This controversy comes against the backdrop of historic steps like granting permanent commissions to women in 2020, following a Supreme Court order, and promoting 108 women officers to colonel rank in February 2023.

But how did an internal letter get leaked? What does it reveal about the military's structural resistance to women in leadership roles? And how does the Indian Army compare with the Navy and Air Force, where women have been flying fighters and serving on warships since 2015?

Join host Dev Goswami and defence expert Shiv Aroor as they unpack the uproar, explore the historical resistance to gender integration in the military, and discuss the slow but inevitable path toward inclusion envisioned by figures like the Late Lt. General Bipin Rawat.

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound mix by Sachin Dwivedi