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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh connected Saturday (June 13, 2026), June 13 said the increasing information of women was making the Indian Air Force (IAF) much balanced and robust, arsenic the work marked a historical milestone with the commissioning of the archetypal batch of women officers from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, during the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) of the 217th Course astatine the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, adjacent Hyderabad.
“With the summation of women’s strength, our Air Force is becoming much balanced and stronger. This reflects the spot of our inclusive force,” Mr. Singh said aft reviewing the parade. The women cadets, who had passed retired from the NDA connected May 30, 2025, underwent branch-specific grooming astatine the Air Force Academy earlier being commissioned. The juncture marked the archetypal clip successful the past of the IAF that women cadets from the NDA graduated from the academy arsenic officers. A full of 5 women officers were awarded wings, of whom 2 volition articulation the combatant watercourse portion the remaining 3 volition articulation the attraction and crushed work branches.
A full of 231 formation cadets graduated aft completing their pre-commissioning grooming crossed assorted branches of the IAF. The graduating batch comprised 194 men and 37 women. Wings were besides awarded to 9 officers of the Indian Navy, 3 officers of the Indian Coast Guard and 2 trainees from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam connected palmy completion of flying training, portion 3 officers received brevets aft completing their navigation training.
During the ceremony, the graduating trainees were conferred the President’s Commission. The Defence Minister presented the President’s Plaque to cadets who secured archetypal presumption successful the wide bid of merit successful the Flying Branch, Navigation watercourse and Ground Duty branches.
Flying Officer Ashish Kumar Yadav was awarded the coveted President’s Plaque and the Nawanagar Sword of Honour for lasting archetypal successful the wide bid of merit successful the Pilot Course. Flying Officer Ekta Gupta received the President’s Plaque for securing archetypal presumption successful the Navigation stream, portion Flying Officer Divyanshi Singh was awarded the President’s Plaque for topping the Ground Duty branches.
Addressing the recently commissioned officers, Mr. Singh congratulated the cadets and said they were becoming portion of a arrogant bequest built implicit decades by the Indian Air Force. He said that portion they mightiness beryllium experiencing a consciousness of restitution and excitement aft completing their training, their existent travel had lone conscionable begun.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, Mr. Singh said the Indian Air Force had demonstrated its capableness to destruct force infrastructure with accuracy and precision. He said the force’s achievements had been made imaginable by indigenous platforms, a beardown organisational operation and the publication of dedicated personnel, and expressed assurance that the Air Force would proceed to play a akin relation successful the future.
The Defence Minister said the quality of warfare was undergoing accelerated translation and modern conflicts were progressively being shaped by technology. Unlike accepted wars, present-day conflicts often unfolded without nonstop engagement betwixt soldiers oregon intelligibly defined battlefields, helium observed.
Calling upon the young officers to recognize evolving threats and recalibrate their responses, Mr. Singh said they indispensable stay unfastened to change. “You person to adapt, adopt, and, if necessary, amend. You person to innovate and get an borderline successful each aspect,” helium said.
The ceremonial commenced with displays by the Akash Ganga skydiving squad and the Air Warrior Drill Team, showcasing precision and synchronisation. The aerial conception featured Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, Hawk, Kiran and Chetak aircraft, reflecting the assorted stages of flying grooming undertaken by cadets astatine the academy. Among the highlights of the lawsuit were aerial displays by the Su-30 MKI combatant aircraft, the Sarang chopper show squad and the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team, which drew applause from the audience.
