President Droupadi Murmu, Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft from the Ambala Air Force Base in Haryana.

The flight marks a historic milestone as it is the first time an Indian President has flown in the Rafale, which forms a key part of the Indian Air Force’s frontline combat fleet.

The Ambala base, home to the Indian Air Force’s 17 Squadron “Golden Arrows,” was central to Operation Sindoor, when India launched precision strikes across the border to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack five months ago.

The Rafales used in that operation made their war debut, executing deep-target missions in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir between May 7 and May 10.

Dressed in a standard anti-gravity flight suit, the President was received and briefed by senior Air Force officers prior to the sortie. The flight symbolised the nation’s confidence in its defence preparedness and the operational capabilities of the IAF.

Dressed in an anti-gravity flight suit, President Murmu boarded the twin-seat Rafale with characteristic calm before the aircraft roared into the fog-laden skies. As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, she reaffirmed her message of solidarity with the IAF’s operational readiness and courage.

This was Murmu’s second fighter flight; she earlier flew in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI from Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on April 8, 2023. She follows former most revered president APJ Abdul Kalam who had also flown the Sukhoi-30 during their respective tenures.

Agencies