Central govt clears women fighter pilots in IAF

The first women fighter pilots would be selected from the batch which is presently undergoing training at the Air Force Academy, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

“This progressive step is in keeping with the aspirations of Indian women and is in line with contemporary trends in armed forces of developed nations,” the Ministry said.

It said that the performance of women, inducted into transport and helicopter streams of the IAF, has been “praiseworthy” and at par with their male colleagues.

“Inducting women into the fighter stream would provide them with an equal opportunity to prove their mettle in combat roles as well,” the ministry said.

As per the plan, the first women pilots would be selected from the batch which is presently undergoing flying training at Air Force Academy.

After successful completion of ab-initio training, they would be commissioned in the fighter stream in June 2016.

Thereafter, they would undergo advanced training for one year and would enter a fighter cockpit by June 2017.

Presently, the Indian Army is inducting women into the Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation (Air Traffic Control), Army Air Defence, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Army Ordinance Corps, Intelligence Corps, Army Education Corps and Judge Advocate Generals Branches/Cadres.

The Indian Navy is inducting women in the Judge Advocate Generals, Logistics, Observer, Air Traffic Controller, Naval Constructor and Education branches/cadres. However, it has moved a proposal to induct women as pilots for its fleet of surveillance aircraft.

With this decision to open up induction of women in the fighter stream, women have become eligible for induction in all branches and streams of the IAF.