CISF launches first all-women commando unit

In a pioneering move, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has initiated training for its very first all-women commando unit, marking a major shift in India’s security landscape. The eight-week advanced commando course, which began on August 11, will be conducted at the Regional Training Centre in Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh.

The first batch of 30 women, who have been taken from the Aviation Security Group, will conclude training on October 4, followed soon by a second group from October 6 to November 29. By the end of this initial phase, at least 100 women personnel will have completed the programme.

The curriculum will be rigorous, and includes physical fitness and weapons training, live-fire drills, obstacle courses, rappelling, forest survival techniques, and a gruelling 48-hour confidence-building exercise designed to assess decision-making and teamwork under simulated hostile conditions.

Post-training, the women are expected to be deployed in Quick Reaction Teams and Special Task Force roles at critical locations— including airports, the Delhi Metro, Parliament, and other sensitive installations.

Currently comprising about 8% of the CISF’s strength (12,491 women), the force plans to recruit 2,400 more women by 2026, aiming to reach a minimum 10% representation.

Officials say that this move signals a strategic embrace of women's operational capabilities in roles once deemed the exclusive domain of men.