MoD to decide on having women fighter pilots permanently next year

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 6

The Ministry of Defence will decide by next year whether to have women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force on a permanent basis. Three women are set to join the IAF fighter pilot stream this july on an  'experimental basis' for a period of five years.

Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar told the Lok Sabha on Friday that the present trial basis induction will help know the shortcomings.

Once the facts are known we will address those and take a decision on inducting women on permanent basis as fighter pilots by next year, Parrikar said while answering a question from Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD.
Women fly helicopters and transport planes in the IAF.

There was immense enthusiam among women to join the combat stream in the IAF, said Parrikar amid thumping of desks in the Lower House.

Parrikar said the shortage of pilots in the IAF has come down from 550 in 2010 to 164 as of February 2016.
Answering another question on IAF participation in the ongoing Red Flag multi-nation exercise Parrikar said our pilots are gaining experience.