Where & How Did India’s 1st Female Naval Fighter Pilot Begin Her Journey?
Every time a plane roared across the skies of Meerut, a young Aastha Poonia would rush outside, eyes filled with wonder.
That childhood dream took flight on 3 July 2025, when Sub Lieutenant Aastha Poonia was inducted into the Indian Navy’s fighter stream, earning her ‘Wings of Gold’ at a commissioning ceremony at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam.
At just 24 years old, she’s now set to fly some of the Navy’s most advanced warplanes, including the MiG-29K, a supersonic jet launched from aircraft carriers like INS Vikrant.
This isn’t just a personal achievement — it’s a national milestone. Aastha is the first-ever woman fighter pilot in Indian naval history, breaking through the final frontier of gender-restricted roles.
It’s important to understand just how significant this moment is.
For decades, the Indian Navy, like other military branches, followed a gender-restrictive model; women could serve, but only in limited, non-combat roles.
How Sub Lt Aastha Poonia earned her wings
Becoming a fighter pilot in the Indian Navy is no ordinary journey. It involves clearing multiple levels of academic, physical, and operational training, especially for women, who only recently began entering combat aviation roles.
Here’s a closer look at how Sub Lt Aastha Poonia achieved this historic feat:
Basic military and naval training
Before touching a cockpit, every officer undergoes basic military training, which includes:
- Leadership development
- Physical fitness drills
- Naval discipline and protocol
- Foundational knowledge of maritime operations and national defence
While Aastha’s early officer training details have not been publicly shared, it is standard for all Indian Navy officers, men and........
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