‘Woman Empowerment’: CISF All Set To Induct First All-Women Commando Unit Into Core Operations, What’s The World Status

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is completely prepared to induct its first-ever all-woman commando team into core operations, a significant endeavour to encourage women’s empowerment within the armed forces.

Training of these women commandos has already begun at the CISF’s Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh. It will conclude on October 4, 2025.

The CISF, established in 1969, confirmed the initiative, stating it has raised its first-ever all-woman commando unit, bringing women to the frontline of national security.

In a post on X, the CISF wrote, “The inaugural batch of 30 women personnel is undergoing 8 weeks of rigorous commando training at RTC Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh.”

“The curriculum includes Quick Reaction Team duties, live-fire drills, endurance runs, rappelling, slithering, jungle survival tactics and a 48-hour confidence-building exercise. As part of the first phase, 100 women commandos will be trained, followed by an expansion in 2026, when 2,400 more women personnel will join the force, aligning with the 10% women strength target set by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), it added.

As per reports, the second batch will also be sent for similar training from October 6 to November 29, 2025.

The CISF, one of India’s Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It’s a specialised paramilitary force tasked with providing security to critical infrastructure, government buildings, airports, metros, and various industrial units across India, its website stated.

Know All-Women Commando Units In India

1. CRPF All-Women Commando Squad – In 2013, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) introduced its first all-women commando squad trained in hostage rescue, counter-terror operations, VIP protection, and CSO scenarios. 
2. Danteshwari Ladake (District Reserve Guard, Chhattisgarh) -This unit was launched in March 2024. The all-women anti-Maoist commando unit is named after the Danteshwari Temple in Dantewada. Their duties include combat, basic medical care, health outreach in remote villages, and discreet surveillance.
3. CRPF’s CoBRA Female Contingents -CoBRA is an important contingent of the CRPF. Its female contingent was founded in 2009 for jungle-warfare unit, raised in 2009.
4. Uttarakhand All-Women Anti-Terrorism Unit – The Uttarakhand All-Women Anti-Terrorist Unit was founded in 2021. They are skilled in counter-terror tactics, bomb disposal, Krav Maga, jungle warfare, map-reading, and more.
5. Hyderabad Swift Women Action Team (SWAT) – The all-women SWAT team was launched by the Hyderabad Police. They are specialised in unarmed combat and protest management. 

World’s Status Of All-Women Commando Unit

1. Israel opened its military operations for women in the 2000s. They are skilled in pilot and combat roles. The Caracal Battalion of the Israeli Armed Forces is a mixed-gender infantry which operated in the Egyptian operation.
2. In the United States, women have been allowed in the military services since 2015. Only in 2020 was the first female Green Beret (2020).
3. However, in Russia, no specialised women’s battalion has been operationalised, but women are allowed to serve in intelligence roles.
4. In the United Kingdom, women have been allowed in SAS/SBS since 2018; however, it’s a very limited entry so far. No women-only commando unit is recognised so far.
5. In China, Snow Leopard Commando Unit and Falcon Commando include female operatives, often in counter-terror and sniper teams.
6. North Korea also recognised a large number of women in special operations brigades.
7. In Pakistan, the first batch of 20 women commandos was inducted into the Frontier Corps (KPK)

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