Visakhapatnam, July 4: In a historic milestone for the Indian Navy, Sub-Lieutenant Astha Poonia has officially become the first woman to be inducted into the Navy’s fighter pilot stream.
Poonia was awarded the prestigious ‘Wings of Gold’ on July 3 by Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air), during a ceremony marking the graduation of the Second Basic Hawk Conversion Course at Naval Air Station INS Dega in Visakhapatnam.
The ceremony also saw Lieutenant Atul Kumar Dhull receiving his ‘Wings of Gold’ alongside Poonia. Their graduation signals a significant step toward greater gender inclusivity in the Indian Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Defence hailed the event as a major stride in integrating women into combat roles, particularly in aviation, where opportunities have traditionally been limited.
In a separate development on Thursday, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved 10 capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹1.05 lakh crore. These include procurement of quick-reaction surface-to-air missiles, naval vessels, armoured recovery vehicles, electronic warfare systems, and a tri-services integrated inventory management system — all sourced indigenously.
This was the DAC’s first meeting since Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. In its official statement, the Defence Ministry noted that India's response was “deliberate, precise, and strategic,” targeting terrorist infrastructure without crossing the Line of Control or international boundaries.
(With agency inputs)
