In a groundbreaking moment for the Indian Armed Forces, two senior women officers — Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force — jointly addressed the nation at a high-level press briefing on Operation Sindoor, alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The briefing marked a historic first when two women officers fronted a tri-services media interaction following a major military operation.
Operation Sindoor: India’s precision strike
The press conference followed India’s cross-border precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes under Operation Sindoor are being hailed as a swift, targeted action by the Indian armed forces in response to the dastardly killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam by terrorists.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh: ‘Daughter of the sky’
Wg Cdr Vyomika Singh, a decorated helicopter pilot, took centrestage during the briefing, along with Col Sofiya Qureshi.
Commissioned permanently into the IAF’s flying branch in 2019, Singh has flown over 2,500 hours on helicopters like the Chetak and Cheetah, operating in high-altitude and remote regions across India. In 2020, she led a challenging civilian rescue mission in Arunachal Pradesh. A year later, she participated in an all-women tri-services mountaineering expedition to Mt. Manirang (21,650 ft).
Singh’s journey to the skies began early — her name, Vyomika (meaning “daughter of the sky”), matched her childhood ambition to become a pilot. She is the first in her family to join the armed forces, trailblazing her way from NCC cadet to engineering graduate to leading in the uniform.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi: Breaking ground in the Indian Army
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, from the Army’s Corps of Signals, has long been a pioneering figure. In 2016, she became the first Indian woman officer to lead a military contingent in a multinational exercise. During Exercise Force 18, held in Pune with participation from 18 countries, she commanded a 40-member Indian team in training modules on peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.
Selected from among India’s top peacekeeping trainers, Qureshi’s operational experience includes a UN peacekeeping mission in Congo in 2006. Besides this, Col Qureshi has established her competence by being actively involved in peacekeeping operations since 2010.
For Col Qureshi, serving in the armed forces is as personal as patriotic. Her military legacy is personal — her grandfather served in the Army, and her husband served in the Mechanised Infantry. Known for her steady leadership, Qureshi has become a symbol of quiet strength and perseverance.
A new chapter in India’s armed forces
The joint appearance of Wg Cdr Vyomika Singh and Col Sofiya Qureshi at the Operation Sindoor briefing marks a turning point in the visibility and recognition of women in the armed forces.
They go beyond being just spokespeople. These women represent a new generation of leadership across the services — competent, credible, and redefining the face of India’s defence forces.
