Hyderabad, June 20: India is all set to induct 126 latest multi-role combat fighter aircraft shortly. Trials have already been conducted and vendors who qualify in the evaluation trial will be invited to submit financial bids, Union Minister of State for Defence, MM Pallam Raju has said.
Speaking to mediapersons at the Combined Graduation Parade organised at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal here today, Pallam Raju said the Union government was intending to induct more women officers into armed forces.
In all, 172 Flight Cadets, including 38 women, passed out of the Air Force Academy marking the conclusion of the one-year training programme. Six officers from the Navy and one from the Coast Guard also received their flying brevet.
Flying Officers Sumit Kumar, K Sridhar and Vishal Kumar were awarded the President’s Plaque for standing first in the overall order of merit in Flying branch, Ground Duties branch and Navigation branch. Sumit Kumar, who commanded the parade, was awarded with the Chief of Air Staff Sword of Honour.
–Agencies