Female Fighter Pilots of the Indian Air Force

International Women’s Day is a great day for homilies on women power, but this year’s was even better. On 8 March, the day it was celebrated, women learnt that they could finally serve their country as fighter pilots. Come June, the Indian Air Force will see its first batch of female pilots, as announced by Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha. In 2015, the Centre had paved the way for the induction of women in combat roles in yet another milestone. 

Raha was at a seminar on women in uniform at the New Delhi Army Medical Corps, where he stated that the Army Medical Corps was the first to support giving an opportunity to women to serve in the defence sector. Three women trainees, in their second phase of training, will be sent for advanced jet instruction so that they can join regular squads. Currently, the IAF has women doing jobs of administration, logistics, meteorology, navigation, education, aeronautical engineering and accounts. Of the  1,500 women on its rolls, 94 are pilots, and 14, navigators.India has come a long way from 1992, when the Army first opened its doors to female recruits. And since then, the number of women in uniform has risen sharply. It was about time that women were placed in combat roles too. 

It has been a global trend, and the Australian Defence Forces opened all jobs to women back in 2013. Germany has allowed women in combat since 2001; Israel has seen women in fighting roles since 1995; the US lifted all gender-based restrictions in combat roles this January; and even Pakistan saw its first female fighter pilot three years ago. 

IndiaIndian Air ForceuniformwomenWomen power