India commissions first batch of 17 National Defence Academy-trained women officers on 13 June 2026

Key facts

• A total of 17 women cadets from the 148th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) were commissioned as officers, marking the first time women have joined the forces with a permanent commission.
• The Indian Army commissioned nine women officers during the Passing Out Parade of the 158th Regular Course at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, reviewed by President Droupadi Murmu.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) commissioned five women officers at the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, as part of the 217th Course reviewed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• Three women officers were commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Kerala, following the Spring Term 2026 Passing Out Parade on 28 May 2026.
• This milestone follows an interim order passed by the Supreme Court (SC) in August 2021, which allowed eligible women to take the entrance exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).