Parliament proceedings | IAF has 10 women fighter pilots

The strength of women officers serving the IAF as on September 1, 2020 is 1,875

Creating history, the first batch of three female pilots — Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh — were inducted into the Indian Air Force fighter squadron on June 18, 2016, in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Ten women officers have been commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) since the stream was opened up for women in 2016, Parliament was informed on Saturday.

The strength of women officers serving the IAF as on September 1, 2020 is 1,875, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. There were also 18 women navigators in the IAF.

Permanent Commission

Separately, the Army said the Special Selection Board constituted to screen Women Officers for grant of Permanent Commission (PC) has commenced its proceedings at the Army headquarters on September 14.

“The board is headed by a Senior General Officer and includes a woman officer of the rank of Brigadier. Women officers have been permitted to witness the proceedings as observers in order to add transparency to the process,” the Army said in a statement.

Women officers who qualify in the screening process would be granted PC subject to being in minimum acceptable medical category, it added.

The orders follow the February Supreme Court verdict, which directed the government that women officers be granted PC and command postings in all services other combat.