Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:39pm on 06 Aug 2026,Thursday Defence
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has become the first woman in the Indian Air Force to qualify as a Fighter Combat Leader after completing the prestigious 20-week Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior. Regarded as the IAF's elite "Top Gun" programme, the course trains pilots in advanced air combat tactics, with only about one percent of pilots selected. Kanth, one of India's first three women fighter pilots commissioned in 2016, currently flies the Sukhoi-30MKI. Her achievement marks a major milestone for women in Indian military aviation and combat leadership. (PC: NDTV)
