The Indian Navy is reportedly working on a policy to allow female officers to serve on warships.

Indian Navy commodore BK Munjal was quoted by PTI as saying: "The higher authorities in the navy are working on the proposal.

"We are looking forward to it and hopefully it should be sorted out soon.

"The higher authorities in the navy are working on the proposal."

"The living conditions in ships are entirely different. We are now modifying ships and designing them as per the conditions required for women officers."

The navy’s Shivalik-class frigates are said to have been redesigned.

Navy lieutenant Nandita Bharadwaj, who is posted at the Mumbai Naval base, said: "Nowadays, all the warships which are coming … Have different provisions and different rooms for lady officers. In the next few years, lady officers will go on board ships."

Women joined Indian military services as nurses in 1927 and medical officers in 1943. They were permitted to join the armed forces in 1992 on short-service commissions.

The Indian Air Force has 1,350 female officers, followed by the army and navy with 1,300 and 350 respectively.