BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – A Liswati soldier has made history after being selected among the first group of foreign women officer cadets set to graduate from the prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun next June.
The landmark cohort comprises six women from four countries, with Uganda and Seychelles each represented by two cadets, while Bhutan and Eswatini have one cadet each. Upon completing their training, the officers will be commissioned into their respective national armies, being the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) for the kingdom.
The graduation will mark a historic milestone for the academy, which only this year produced its first batch of Indian women officers after opening its doors to female cadets.
According to The Times of India, the foreign women cadets said witnessing the graduation of India’s first women officers had strengthened their determination to successfully complete the demanding military programme.
“We are now more determined to give our best and make the academy as well as our countries proud. We hope that our batch will motivate more women to join the Army and enrol at IMA for training with assistance from our governments,” one of the cadets said.
Academy officials said the foreign women cadets are on course to graduate during the Passing Out Parade in June 2027, a ceremony that will mark the first time the Indian Military Academy commissions women officers from foreign countries.
The achievement is also expected to strengthen military cooperation between Eswatini and India, with the academy continuing to train officers from friendly nations as part of its international defence partnership programmes.
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(Pic: Times of India)
