India's First Female Su-30 Operator Ready to Respond to 'Any Eventuality' at LAC - Report

The border standoff between India and China in the Ladakh region erupted in May 2020, after which both Beijing and Delhi have boosted military presence in the region. The sides managed to reach a disengagement agreement after a series of military and diplomatic talks that have taken place regularly since February 2021, but tensions remain.

Tejaswi Ranga Rao, who is currently part of India's Eastern Military Sector in Tezpur, Assam, is the first and only female weapons systems operator for the Indian Air Force (IAF) deadly Su-30 fighters.

In an interview with ANI news agency, she said that all the pilots at her base are ready to respond to any developments along the border with China.

“Being part of any actual operation is what every fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force trains for because that is where we would get to show our mettle. Our pilots from various bases in the eastern sector are ready to respond in case of any eventuality,” Fight Lieutenant Tejaswi told ANI.

Flying Officer Tejaswi is a weapons system officer, also known as WSO or "wizzo" in the Air Force. These specialist officers are required to fly in the rear cockpit of a multi-role aircraft and control the sensors and weapons that the aircraft will conduct against enemy targets in the fleet of Su-30s, the advanced air supremacy fighters considered to be the backbone of the IAF's advanced fighters.

The Su-30MKI aircraft was developed by the Russian Sukhoi Corporation and built under license by the Indian company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The IAF is currently believed to have around 260 of these aircraft in service. On March 18, it was reported that India had ordered an additional 12 SU-20MKs.

The Su-30 fighter aircraft has become more lethal with the induction of new weapons and electronic warfare systems, according to ANI.

The first female pilot in India to qualify for combat missions was Bhavana Kant, who joined the fighter squadron in 2017. She was among those who, as Lieutenant Tejaswi put it, "broke the glass ceiling" in the Air Force for other women.

There've been brilliant women before who broke the glass ceiling and paved the way for us to achieve our dreams," Lt Tejaswi said

The IAF also has the highest percentage of women among all three Indian armed forces; about 14 percent of its officers are female. The branch inducts women in all roles, including combat and support roles. As of September 2020, there were 1,875 female officers serving in the IAF, including 10 pilots and 18 navigators.