A maiden all-women maritime surveillance mission was undertaken by the Andaman & Nicobar Command on the 40th anniversary of INAS 318 and International Women’s Day on March 08, 2024. The crew based at INS Utkrosh comprised Lt Cdr Shubhangi Swaroop, Lt Cdr Divya Sharma and Lt Vaishali Mishra.

The occasion highlighted the crucial role played by women combatants in all the walks of the Naval Air Arm, which included pre-flight briefing, meteorological briefing, medical check-up and Air Traffic Control (ATC) briefing, all of which were conducted by women officers. This milestone underscores the commitment of the Andaman & Nicobar Command towards providing equal opportunities to all genders and fostering gender neutrality within the Armed Forces. The successful completion of the mission affirms the capability of women to undertake independent operational tasks, highlighting their invaluable contributions towards the nation’s defence and security.

INAS 318 is the elite Naval Air squadron in the Andaman & Nicobar Command, continuously engaged in surveillance role since its commissioning on March 08, 1984. The squadron commenced its journey with the induction of Islander aircraft which were replaced by Dornier aircraft in 1999. The Dornier aircraft is capable of carrying out long range maritime surveillance using state-of-the-art Maritime Patrol Radars.