On December 13, 2025, the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad, hosted a Combined Graduation Parade marking the commissioning of 244 Indian Air Force flight cadets—215 men and 29 women—from the 216 Course into flying and ground duty branches. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan reviewed the ceremony, conferring President’s Commissions and awarding President’s Plaques to top performers like Flying Officer Tanishq Aggarwal, Saksham Dobriyal, and Nitesh Kumar, while emphasizing operational readiness amid ongoing Operation Sindoor as a testament to IAF’s professionalism. The event featured synchronized flypasts by Pilatus PC-7, Hawk, Kiran, and Chetak aircraft, thrilling displays by Akash Ganga and Air Warrior Drill Team, and Wings for six Indian Navy officers, eight Coast Guard personnel, and two Vietnamese trainees, underscoring India’s strengthening regional defense partnerships, particularly with Vietnam. General Chauhan urged the new officers to embrace jointness, self-reliance, and innovation under ‘JAI’ principles to safeguard national sovereignty