Newly confirmed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has drawn a spotlight on the role of women in the US military, having made statements over the years questioning the effectiveness of female troops in combat.

During his Senate confirmation hearing two weeks ago, Hegseth, a former Army officer and conservative talk show host, was peppered with questions over his position on women in the military and was accused by Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of "denigrating" female service members.

In November, Hegseth told podcaster Shawn Ryan that women should "straight up" not be permitted to serve in combat roles. And Hegseth told the Senate hearing that service members of the most powerful military in the world would "rejoice" over his proposals removing "woke" policies such as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

However, he also told lawmakers that women would have access to combat roles, given the caveat that "standards remain high."

This debate over the role of women in the military is not limited to the US. In India, which prides itself for promoting "Nari Shakti" (Women Power) in the defense forces, a similar debate on women in command roles has come to the fore.

In late 2024, a letter from a top Indian general alleged that there were management issues in the army units led by women officers.

The five-page letter was intended to be an internal review of eight female commanding officers, but it sparked a fervent national discussion after it was published in Indian media.

The general has accused female commanding officers of having "mundane ego problems" and a "lack of empathy" for troops in their units. The document even goes on to say that the lack of empathy may be........

© Deutsche Welle