India deploys first all-women special forces team in history
India's first all-women SWAT team consists of 36 people, trained in martial arts and the use of a variety of weapons.
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Members of India's women's SWAT team at the launch ceremony on August 15. Photo:CNN. |
"The female officers have been trained for 15 months in jungle and urban warfare, handling hostage crises and stressful situations, experiencing every scenario that special forces face. They are very professional, I can confidently choose them for any mission,"CNNquoted Pramod Kushwaha, an officer of the Indian capital New Delhi Police, speaking at the launching ceremony of the first all-women special forces task force (SWAT) in India's history.
The first mission of the all-female SWAT team is to protect the safety of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he delivers a speech celebrating the 71st anniversary of India's independence on the afternoon of August 15. After that, the female officers will be part of a rapid response force, ready to deal with terrorist attacks, hostage taking or security threats in the capital New Delhi.
The 36 members of the special forces team are all trained in the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga, and are proficient in the use of infantry weapons such as the MP5 submachine gun or AK assault rifle, as well as the ability to handle explosives. "They are at the same level, or even better in some cases, than their male colleagues," officer Kushwaha revealed.
India is a country with relatively widespread gender inequality. The country ranks 120/131 in the world in terms of female labor participation, while only 7.2% of the Indian police force is female. The deployment of an all-female SWAT team is considered by the New Delhi Police Department as a "positive message" to address the current problem of male dominance.
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The female SWAT team demonstrated their ability to arrest criminals at the launch ceremony. Photo:CNN. |
