Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 10:17am on 07 Aug 2026,Friday Defence
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has become the first woman in the Indian Air Force to qualify as a Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) after completing the elite course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), Gwalior. The rigorous 20-week programme trains fighter pilots in advanced air combat tactics, mission planning, and leadership. Kanth was among India's first three women fighter pilots commissioned in 2016 and became the country's first woman cleared for fighter combat missions in 2019. Her latest achievement marks another historic milestone for women in India's armed forces and strengthens the IAF's combat leadership ranks. (PC: X)
