Prateek Tanmay
3 min readNew Delhi, PuneJun 14, 2026 01:20 AM IST
A YEAR after they walked past the symbolic Antim Pag — the final step — at the National Defence Academy in Pune, the first batch of 17 women cadets trained at the NDA was commissioned on Saturday as officers, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of women’s participation in military service.
This is the first time women officers will be joining the forces with a permanent commission. This was made possible by an interim order passed by the Supreme Court in August 2021, while hearing a plea seeking directions to let eligible women take the NDA and Naval Academy entrance exams conducted by the UPSC. The first batch of women cadets joined the NDA in July-August 2022 as part of its 148th course.
So far, short service commission women officers could join the forces, and later seek permanent commission after completion of 14 years of service.
The batch of 17 women cadets have successfully completed their rigorous pre-commission training at their respective service academies, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Saturday.
In the Indian Army, nine women officers were commissioned during the Passing Out Parade of the 158th Regular Course held at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on Saturday. The parade was reviewed by President Droupadi Murmu.
In the Indian Air Force, five officers were commissioned during the Combined Graduation Parade of the 217th Course at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad, on Saturday. The parade was reviewed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. They were among the 231 Flight Cadets (194 men & 37 women), who were commissioned as officers in the Indian Air Force (IAF) following their graduation from the AFA, Dundigal.
In the Indian Navy, three officers were commissioned during the Spring Term 2026 Passing Out Parade at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala, on May 28. The parade was reviewed by Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena. A total of 311 trainees, including 66 women trainees, had passed out with distinction, marking the culmination of their ab initio military training.
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“The commissioning marks a defining chapter in the transformation of the Defence Forces and reflects the nation’s commitment to equal opportunity, merit and excellence in military service,” the ministry statement noted, adding that the achievement stands as a testament to their dedication, discipline and perseverance, and will inspire generations of young women across the country to pursue careers in uniform and contribute towards nation-building.
