NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday hailed the commissioning of the first batch of nine women cadets from the National Defence Academy (NDA) at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), calling it a “watershed moment” in the institution’s history and a milestone for India’s armed forces.

Dehradun: Cadets take part in the Commandant’s Parade at Indian Military Academy (IMA), in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. (PTI Photo)

Reviewing the Passing Out Parade of the 158th Regular Course and the 141st Technical Graduate Course at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, the President said the induction of women officers marked an important step in India’s journey towards women-led development.“She was delighted to see the nine women cadets. She said that this is a watershed moment in the history of IMA. It is not only a milestone in the history of India’s defence forces but also an inspiring example of India’s march towards women-led development,” a statement from the President’s Secretariat said.President Murmu, who attended the ceremony as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Reviewing Officer, extended her best wishes to the newly commissioned officers and urged them to serve the nation with dedication, discipline, patriotism and an unwavering sense of duty.A total of 515 officer cadets passed out from the academy, including 481 Indian Gentleman Cadets and 34 foreign cadets from 16 friendly countries. The President said the presence of foreign cadets reflected India’s commitment to strengthening friendship, cooperation and defence ties with countries across the world.Congratulating the cadets on completing one of the country’s most rigorous military training programmes, Murmu said, “their courage and wisdom will be their strengths.”Addressing the newly commissioned officers, the President reminded them of their responsibility towards the nation and its citizens.“The President told officer cadets that they are the protectors of our nation’s sovereignty, unity and integrity. They carry the sacred trust of over 140 crore citizens,” the statement said.She said military officers were not only responsible for guarding the country’s borders but also for protecting the trust, aspirations and honour of 1.4 billion Indians.Highlighting the changing nature of warfare and global security, Murmu said the Indian Army must remain prepared for emerging challenges.“In an era of rapidly changing security challenges, technological advances and complex global environments, the Indian Army must remain adaptive and future-ready,” she said, urging officers to be courageous decision-makers and ethical leaders.The President advised the young officers to embrace lifelong learning, innovation and modernisation while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.She also stressed the importance of leadership and troop welfare, saying officers would be responsible for leading, guiding and caring for their soldiers.“The President said that as Army officers, the officer cadets will be responsible for leading, guiding and caring for the soldiers. They have to lead by example, inspire confidence, and encourage the spirit of teamwork and dedication. By balancing operational effectiveness with the well-being of their soldiers, they will build trust and strengthen the fighting capability of the units they will lead.”Murmu further said that officers were expected to lead from the front, care for their troops and uphold the finest traditions of the armed forces.The President also congratulated cadets from friendly foreign countries and said their nations had entrusted India with the responsibility of training them to the highest standards of military professionalism.“She expressed confidence that they will bring many laurels to their Armed Forces and countries through their service and the values they have imbibed at IMA,” the statement said.The ceremony was attended by Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Gurmit Singh, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, IMA Commandant Lieutenant General Nagendra Singh, senior military officers, civil administration officials and distinguished guests.Concluding her address, President Murmu expressed confidence that the newly commissioned officers would play a vital role in safeguarding the nation’s security, honour and integrity in the years ahead.