Marking a historic milestone for gender inclusivity in Indian armed forces, the Indian Navy on 3 July 2025 inducted its first woman, Sub Lieutenant Aastha Poonia, into the fighter pilot stream. Sub Lieutenant Aastha Poonia graduated as part of the Second Basic Hawk Conversion Course held at INS Dega in Visakhapatnam.
This achievement positions SLt Poonia as the first woman in the Indian Navy to be trained for the fighter stream, signaling a significant breakthrough for women in military aviation. The Navy announced the development on X, stating, “A New Chapter in Naval Aviation #IndianNavy marks a historic milestone with the graduation of the Second Basic Hawk Conversion Course on #03Jul 2025 at @IN_Dega. Lt Atul Kumar Dhull and Slt Aastha Poonia received the prestigious ‘Wings of Gold’ from RAdm Janak Bevli, ACNS (Air). SLt Poonia becomes the First Woman Pilot to be streamed into the Fighter stream of #NavalAviation – Shattering Barriers and paving way for a new era of women fighter pilots in the Navy.”
Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), presented the coveted ‘Wings of Gold’ to both SLt Poonia and Lt Atul Kumar Dhull during the ceremony.
While women officers have previously served as pilots and Naval Air Operations Officers in maritime reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters, this is the first time a woman officer has entered the fighter pilot stream in Naval Aviation in the Indian Navy.
The Navy emphasized the significance of this achievement, stating, “Streaming of SLt Aastha Poonia into the Fighter Stream highlights the Indian Navy’s commitment towards gender inclusivity in Naval Aviation and promoting Nari Shakti, fostering a culture of equality and opportunity.”
The entry of women into combat flying roles began in India in 2016, when the Indian Air Force commissioned three women — Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth, and Mohana Singh — into the fighter stream. SLt Aastha Poonia now carries that legacy forward, breaking new ground within the Indian Navy’s aviation wing.
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