Women fighter pilots only on a trial basis

The recent decision by the Defence Ministry to allow women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force (IAF) is only on an experimental basis for a period of five years, the government said on Friday.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Defence Rao, Inderjit Singh, in a written reply in Parliament.

In October, the Defence Ministry, in a much welcomed decision, had announced that women would be allowed in combat roles for the first time, beginning with the Air Force.

On the timeline for induction of women into the fighter stream, it is envisaged that the trainees undergoing Stage-I training at the Air Force Academy would be assessed for their suitability and then selected to the second level. “Upon successful completion of Stage-II training, these trainees are likely to be commissioned into the fighter stream in June 2016,” Mr. Singh added.

The government clarified that all women pilots in the Air Force are cleared for all operational roles, including low-level tactical flying, para drop, air maintenance and special heli-borne operations.

Steep fall in intake

In a major cause of worry for the government, there is a steep drop in the intake of women officers this year compared to the last three years. In the Air Force, the numbers have more than halved from last year’s 155 to 68 this year. The Army saw a fall from 104 in 2014 to 39 till date in 2015.

The Navy which has much lesser intake than the other two services, showed a rising trend from 2012-14 and reached 58. However, it dropped to 39 in 2015.

Keywords: Women fighter pilots, Indian Air Force