Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday said women officers were doing “exceedingly well” and “I want them to be strong officers, maybe like Kali Mata ka roop” (the embodiment of Goddess Kali).

He said the army was looking at a 12-fold increase in women’s induction into officer ranks by 2032.

In October last year, a senior-rank army officer had written a controversial five-page letter to eastern army commander Lt General Ram Chander Tiwari, listing a series of issues impacting army units commanded by women officers in the eastern sector.

“Today we have 115 (women) officers who are commanding and 18 are ready to join. I have firsthand experience to say that you will always find all kinds of officers. Wherever I have seen, the women officers have been very mature, very considerate, very kind and if I can say that, up and above,” General Dwivedi said.

He said the army wants strong officers and it needs to create a gender-neutral environment.

“As far as women officers are concerned, we want strong women officers. Does it mean Kali Mata ka roop? Maybe,” he said.

Several women officers are now helming units at forward locations, including in areas under the Northern and Eastern Commands which are tasked with guarding India’s frontier with China.

The army broke the glass ceiling following a Supreme Court order in 2023 by assigning women officers to command roles outside the medical stream for the first time.