BPR: Sqn. Ldr. Mohana Singh Became The 1st Woman In The IAF’s Elite Flying Bullets’ Squadron

Squadron Leader Mohana Singh has made history by becoming India’s first woman pilot to fly the Tejas fighter aircraft. She has been assigned to the No. 18 ‘Flying Bullets’ Squadron, based at Naliya, Gujarat. Prior to this achievement, Singh was part of the No. 3 ‘Cobras’ Squadron at the Nal Air Base near Bikaner, where she flew the MiG-21 Bison aircraft.

As one of the pioneering women fighter pilots in India, she has consistently emphasized the Indian Air Force’s commitment to gender equality, stating, “In IAF, we have embraced gender equality in the truest sense.”

Singh recently participated in the Tarang Shakti 2024, a major multilateral air combat exercise hosted by India, where 28 global air forces showcased their skills. This event, which concluded in Jodhpur, was a significant step in enhancing international defense cooperation.

The Indian Air Force (IAF), the world’s fourth-largest air force, currently boasts around 20 women fighter pilots. The IAF opened its fighter stream to women in 2016, marking a pivotal moment in India’s military history, and has since been offering women the same opportunities as their male counterparts.