Why India needs women in national security leadership roles

The presence of Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi alongside the foreign secretary in security briefings after the May 7 military strikes is a welcome step for gender representation. But it risks being symbolic if not matched by genuine participation in decision-making.

The absence of women from national security leadership is not just a representational gap – it’s a structural weakness that affects both our preparedness and democratic integrity.

Despite India’s constitutional commitment to equality, women are underrepresented at the highest levels of government. In Lok Sabha, women account for 14% of the Members of Parliament and in Rajya Sabha,

State assemblies are similarly lopsided.

Kerala, often hailed as a model for social indicators, is no exception: women make up more than half of the electorate and dominate grassroots governance in panchayats with over 50% representation, but in the state assembly, in six decades, according to .

The disconnect between grassroots empowerment and top-level exclusion is stark and consequential.

Research from democracies worldwide is unequivocal: when women participate in decision-making, especially in equal numbers, outcomes are more balanced, inclusive and sustainable. A report...