She Flies, She Commands, She Confronts Terror: Meet Wing Commander Vyomika Singh

As India launched its fiercest counter-terror operation in recent memory—Operation Sindoor—a new face of the armed forces emerged at the national forefront: Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a decorated helicopter pilot with the Indian Air Force.

Commanding attention at the tri-services media briefing that followed India’s precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Singh didn’t just present facts—she represented a new chapter in India’s military narrative, one where women are not just participants, but leaders.

A Name That Meant Destiny

The name "Vyomika", meaning daughter of the sky, was prophetic. From a young age, Singh dreamed of flight. Her journey began with the National Cadet Corps (NCC), followed by a degree in engineering. With no military background in her family, she carved her own path—becoming the first in her family to join the armed forces.

Sky Is Not the Limit

In 2019, Wing Commander Singh was granted a permanent commission in the flying branch of the IAF, a milestone in itself. Since then, she has clocked over 2,500 flying hours, piloting helicopters such as the Chetak and Cheetah across some of India's toughest terrains—from the snow-laden peaks of Jammu & Kashmir to the dense forests of the Northeast.

Her courage was on full display in 2020, when she led a critical rescue operation in Arunachal Pradesh, flying in extreme weather to save civilians in distress. The following year, she scaled new heights—literally—by joining an all-women tri-services mountaineering expedition to Mt. Manirang, a formidable peak standing 21,650 feet tall.

The Calm Voice After the Storm

At the Operation Sindoor press conference, following the airstrikes that dismantled nine terror camps in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Singh stood at the mic with poise and clarity. She explained the mission’s scope and intent: focused, precise, and non-escalatory—targeting only terror infrastructure, not military installations.

But her presence meant more than just a media update. It signaled a shift in India’s defense communication—where capability speaks, and gender doesn’t limit representation.

Also Read: Meet Colonel Sofiya Qureshi: Army Trailblazer and the Face of 'Operation Sindoor'