AKIPRESS.COM - India's first three women fighter pilots will be formally commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on June 18, IANS reports.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will formally commission the women fighter pilots along with flight cadets of various branches of the IAF at a combined graduation parade at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal on Hyderabad's outskirts.

"The graduation parade will be a landmark in IAF history as the first three women pilots will be commissioned in the fighter stream of the flying branch," said an official release.

The minister will review the passing-out parade and confer the 'President's Commission', on behalf of the President of India, to 129 graduating trainees of various branches, including 22 women trainees.

Parrikar will also present the 'Wings and Brevets' to the newly commissioned officers of the flying branch and to officers from the Indian Navy and Coast Guard who have successfully undergone the flying training.