For the First Time in History, Indian Air Force Will Induct Women as Fighter Pilots

For the first time in the history of Indian defence forces, women will be allowed to take up combat positions as the defence ministry has approved the proposal of Indian Air Force (IAF) to induct women as fighter pilots.

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The first women pilots will be selected from the current batch at the Air Force Academy.

Source: Wikimedia

After successful completion of their training, they will be commissioned to train as fighter pilots in June 2016. And a year from then, by June 2017, India will have its first group of women combat pilots ready to be in the cockpits of frontline fighter jets after undergoing an year-long advanced training.

Defence ministry spokesperson, Sitanshu Kar, tweeted the announcement on Saturday:

Earlier this month, on the 83rd Air Force Day celebrated on Oct. 8, the IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha had announced that women will be inducted as fighter pilots soon, thereby making air force the first of the three armed forces to allow women in combat roles.

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