Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh: India's First Woman Rafale Pilot Breaking Barriers in the Indian Air Force

Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh made history in 2020 by becoming the first Indian woman to pilot the Rafale fighter jet.

President Droupadi Murmu recently met with Squadron Leader Singh during her visit to the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana, where she had the opportunity to experience a sortie in the advanced fighter aircraft.

This significant meeting occurred five months after Pakistani media falsely alleged that Singh had been captured during Operation Sindoor, India's strategic response to the Pahalgam terror attack targeting terrorist camps across the border.

President Murmu commemorated the occasion by sharing a photograph showing Squadron Leader Singh standing proudly beside her in complete flight gear, with a Rafale fighter jet visible in the background.

Hailing from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Shivangi Singh's passion for aviation was ignited during a childhood trip to the Air Force Museum in New Delhi.

After graduating from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Singh's involvement with the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Air Wing paved the way for her future in military aviation. Her formal training began at the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, culminating in her 2017 commission as part of the second cohort of women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force.

Squadron Leader Singh's impressive career trajectory began with flying the challenging MiG-21 Bison before her selection for the prestigious Rafale program in 2020, where she shattered gender barriers by becoming India's first female Rafale pilot.

Currently serving with the elite 17 Squadron "Golden Arrows" at Ambala, India's premier Rafale unit, Singh has represented the nation in international military exercises, including Exercise Orion 2023 in France. Her operational experience includes critical missions over sensitive border areas such as eastern Ladakh and the Line of Control.

Following Operation Sindoor in May, Pakistani state media channels and social media accounts disseminated false information claiming Indian Rafales had been shot down and a female pilot captured—an apparent disinformation campaign designed to manipulate public perception through deceptive tactics.

Definitively countering this propaganda, Squadron Leader Singh appeared today alongside President Murmu, smiling confidently in her flight suit, demonstrating the baselessness of Pakistan's fabricated claims.