Hello, Warriors! The induction of women as fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force was announced by the Chief of the IAF, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on the 83rd anniversary of the IAF on October 8th. It came as a landmark move for the armed forces which have so far dithered over combat role for women.
Later this month in October, the Government of India approved the commissioning of women as fighter pilots and the first batch of women fighter pilots will be seen flying the mighty fighter jets of the IAF, including Su-30, by the mid of 2017. In seven months, the first batch of Indian women will begin to train as fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force in a move that breaks a glass ceiling that has existed for decades.
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. 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 air force currently has about 1,500 women on its rolls of which 94 are pilots (helicopter and transport aircraft) and 14 navigators. The move is in sync with global trends and will help IAF overcome shortage of officers in the fighter aircraft stream.
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. The IAF is presently inducting women in the Transport and Helicopter stream of the flying branch, Navigation, Aeronautical Engineering, Administration, Logistics, Accounts, Education and Meteorology branches.
This announcement makes IAF the first of the three services to have women in active front-line combat roles inducting women into the fighter stream would provide them with an equal opportunity to prove their mettle in combat roles as well. In 2010, women in the Army and the Air Force were allowed full term service by the Delhi High Court, which commented that women officers “deserve better from the government.”
Last month, in September, women naval officers also scored this milestone, with the High Court saying it would “frown upon any endeavor to block progress of women.”
Till five years ago, women military officers were entitled only to a limited service span.
The Ministry of Defence has also taken up a comprehensive review pertaining to induction of women in Armed Forces both in short service commission and permanent commission (SSC & PC) and once finalised more and more branches would be opened up for women.
