Indian Air Force to induct female fighter pilots from June

In a significant development and a gift to women on International Women’s day, India’s Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha announced that the nation will see its first batch of female fighter pilots by June 2016. India is finally set to welcome its first batch of female fighter pilots. “As of now three women trainees have volunteered to join the fighter stream. They are under the second phase of their training. Once they complete their training and are at par with their male colleagues and the passing out parade is scheduled on June 18th,” Mr Raha said. He asserted that all the three trainees should get commissioned on that day and become the first women officers in the fighter stream. They will then proceed to the advanced jet training stage before proceeding to the regular squads. “I must thank the defence minister for having approved IAF’s proposal to induct women as fighter pilots and very soon on June 18 this year, Indian Air Force will get its first woman fighter pilot,” Mr Raha said. He was addressing a seminar ‘Women in Uniform’ in the Army Medical Corps. Most of the developed countries have started including female fighter pilots in 1990s. However, India took a little longer than others to include female fighter pilots.