On 12 November, the Ministry of Home Affairs authorized the Central Industrial Security Force’s (CISF) first all-women unit. The CISF now has 1.77 lakh personnel, with 7% of them being women. A total of 1,025 women personnel will be recruited in the battalion. A battalion has about 1,000 soldiers. It would be referred to as a “reserve battalion,” which will be under the command of a senior commandant-rank officer.
Union Home Minister also took to X (previously Twitter) to share the development and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the same. “In a firm step towards realizing Modi Ji’s vision of enhancing women’s participation in every field of nation-building, the Modi government has approved the establishment of the first all-women battalion of the CISF. To be raised as an elite troop, the Mahila Battalion will shoulder the responsibility of protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure, like airports and metro rails and providing VIP security as commandos. The decision will certainly fulfil the aspirations of more women to participate in the crucial task of protecting the nation,” he stated.
In a firm step towards realizing Modi Ji's vision of enhancing women's participation in every field of nation-building, the Modi government has approved the establishment of the first all-women battalion of the CISF.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 13, 2024
To be raised as an elite troop, the Mahila Battalion will… pic.twitter.com/AHJWKsG0Xa
According to a CISF officer, their nine-month training program was specifically created to produce an elite battalion that can carry out a variety of tasks as commandos in airport security, Delhi Metro rail duty and VIP security. “They will be deployed at strategic locations, possibly in Delhi-NCR, so that they can be easily mobilised in emergencies,” he added. “Proposal for the creation of an all-woman battalion was initiated on the direction of the Union home minister during the 53rd CISF Day function,” mentioned Deepak Verma, deputy inspector general, CISF.
The central armed force informed, “The CISF has started preparations for the early recruitment, training and selection of location for the headquarters of the new Battalion. The training is being specially designed to create an elite battalion capable of performing multifarious roles as commandos in VIP security and also security of airports, Delhi Metro and Railways.”
Preparations for the new battalion’s early recruitment and training have begun within the CISF. Additionally, it has started looking for a new headquarters for the battalion. According to CISF sources, the training is specifically intended to produce an elite battalion that can handle a variety of tasks, such as commandos in VIP security and overseeing airport and Delhi Metro security, among other things. Notably, there are currently 12 reserve battalions in the CISF, with a mix of male and female members. The Delhi Metro, the 68 civil airports it protects, and historical sites like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal provide the force with a major interface with women commuters and tourists. Female personnel are already stationed at these duty sites.
