New Delhi, March 8 (IANS): A maiden all-women maritime surveillance mission was undertaken by the Andaman and Nicobar Command on the 40th anniversary of INAS 318 (Naval Air Squadron) and International Women’s Day on Friday.

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.

The Ministry of Defence said that this milestone underscores the commitment of the Andaman and 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. It also highlights the invaluable contributions of women toward the nation’s defence and security.

INAS 318 is the elite Naval Air Squadron in the Andaman and Nicobar Command. It is continuously engaged in a surveillance role since its commissioning on March 8, 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.