HYDERABAD: Marking a significant milestone in the armed forces’ journey towards greater gender integration, the first batch of five women cadets from the National Defence Academy (NDA) was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) during the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) of the 217th Course at the Air Force Academy (AFA) in Dundigal on Saturday.
The women officers had passed out from the NDA on May 30, 2025, before undergoing branch-specific training at the Air Force Academy. Of the five officers awarded wings, two will join the fighter stream, while the remaining three will serve in the maintenance and ground duty branches.
Reviewing the parade, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the growing role of women in the armed forces and said their increasing presence was making the IAF stronger and more balanced.
“With the increase of women’s strength, our Air Force is becoming more balanced and stronger. This reflects the strength of our inclusive force,” he said.
The ceremony saw a total of 231 Flight Cadets receive the President’s Commission after successfully completing their pre-commissioning training. The graduating batch comprised 194 men and 37 women across various branches of the IAF.
In addition, wings were awarded to nine officers of the Indian Navy, three officers of the Indian Coast Guard and two trainees from Vietnam upon the successful completion of their flying training. Three officers also received brevets after completing their navigation training.
During the ceremony, the graduating trainees were formally commissioned as IAF officers. Rajnath Singh presented the President’s Plaque to cadets who secured first position in the overall order of merit in the Flying Branch, Navigation stream and Ground Duty branches.
Flying Officer Ashish Kumar Yadav was awarded the coveted President’s Plaque and the prestigious Nawanagar Sword of Honour for securing first position in the overall order of merit in the Pilot Course. Flying Officer Ekta Gupta earned the President’s Plaque for topping the Navigation stream, while Flying Officer Divyanshi Singh received the President’s Plaque for securing first position among the Ground Duty branches.
The ceremony commenced with displays by the Akash Ganga skydiving team and the Air Warrior Drill Team, showcasing exceptional precision and coordination. The aerial segment featured Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, Hawk, Kiran and Chetak aircraft, demonstrating the various stages of flying training undertaken at the academy.
Among the major attractions were aerial displays by the Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft, the Sarang helicopter display team and the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team, which drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.