Women pilots and other female soldiers played a crucial role in the effective action taken by India against terrorism in Pakistan and PoK during Operation Sindoor, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday.
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Women pilots and other female soldiers played a crucial role in the effective action taken by India against terrorism in Pakistan and PoK during Operation Sindoor, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday.
The minister, while addressing the flag-in ceremony of INSV Tarini in Goa, said ever since the participation of women in the Armed Forces has increased, they have performed exceptionally well in every role and fulfilled every responsibility.
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“From the heights of Siachen to the depths of the ocean, Indian women are fulfilling many responsibilities, which has further bolstered the security circle of the country. Today, the doors of Sainik Schools are open for girls and 17 women are passing out from National Defence Academy this month. Operation Sindoor witnessed active and effective participation of women in every branch of the Indian Armed Forces,” Singh, according to an official release said.
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Lauding two brave Indian Navy Women officers – Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A, who have returned home after successful completion of ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama II’, the minister commended their courage, commitment and endurance in completing the historic circumnavigation expedition.
He termed their voyage as the epitome of ‘Nari Shakti’ (woman power).
The duo, in the second edition of the expedition, has become the first from India to accomplish such a feat in double-handed mode.
The officers covered a distance of 25,600 nautical miles over a period of eight months with port calls at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Cape Town (South Africa).
Singh praised the duo for facing physical and mental obstacles head on, overcoming them with strength and proving to the world that they are the brave daughters of India.
He said the two women officers have made India proud by holding high the Tricolour all over the world. “You must document the experiences of this journey with the same spirit with which you completed it. Record your bitter-sweet experiences and learnings so that the future generation, especially our young women, are inspired by it,” the minister told the courageous duo.
Recalling his virtual conversation with the women officers days before the flag-in, he said that the interaction had filled him with emotions.
On the occasion, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi praised the women officers for their exemplary resilience, perseverance and indomitable spirit.
Highlighting their journey as a tribute to the glorious maritime legacy and a significant step in fostering national maritime consciousness, he recounted their story as an inspiration to every Indian redefining the spirit of Nari Shakti.
The expedition was flagged off from INS Mandovi, Goa, by the Chief of the Naval Staff on October 02, 2024. The first edition of the expedition was completed by a six-member women crew in 2017-18.
Chief Secretary of Goa V Candavelou; Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services Vice Admiral Arti Sarin and several other officials attended the flag-in ceremony.
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