The Indian Air Force marked the graduation ceremony of the 48th Flight Test Course at the Indian Air Force Test Pilots School, Bengaluru, on May 23, 2026.
A total of 17 officers — comprising 11 Test Pilots and six Flight Test Engineers from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, and Indian Navy — successfully completed the demanding 48-week training programme and will now join the Aviation Wing of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE).
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and awarded certificates and trophies to the graduating officers.
Among the awardees, Squadron Leader KK Singh, VM, received the prestigious “Suranjan Das Trophy”, while Squadron Leader Aditya Jamdagni was awarded the “Chief of the Air Staff Trophy”.
Wing Commander Abhinav Kumar received the “Maharaja Hanumanth Singh Sword”, Wing Commander Pranav Sharma was awarded the “Dunlop Trophy”, and Squadron Leader Paras Sharma received the “Kapil Bhargava Trophy” for outstanding performance during the course.
Addressing the graduating officers, the Air Chief highlighted the critical role played by flight test crew in strengthening India’s indigenous aerospace capability and advancing the national vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
He urged the officers to continue contributing towards capability development, innovation, and operational excellence while upholding the highest standards of aviation safety and professionalism.
The Flight Test Course remains one of the most specialised and challenging military aviation programmes in India, aimed at producing highly skilled test pilots and flight test engineers capable of evaluating advanced aircraft, weapon systems, and aerospace technologies.
