Ambala, Oct 28: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday took a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Indian Air Force Station in Ambala, and described the experience as “unforgettable”, one that instilled a “renewed sense of pride” in India’s defence capabilities.
Murmu made history as she became the first President of India to fly in two different fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Previously, she undertook a sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI in April 2023 from Tezpur in Assam.
Donning a G-suit and sporting sunglasses, Murmu, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces, was seen posing for pictures and flashing a thumbs-up gesture before the French-made jet, flown by Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron, took off at 11:27 am.
The sortie lasted for approximately 30 minutes, covering about 200 kilometres. The aircraft reached a height of about 15,000 feet above sea level and a speed of approximately 700 kilometres per hour, according to a statement from the President’s office.
Upon landing, the President shared her delight in the visitor’s book, saying, “The sortie on Rafale is an unforgettable experience for me. This first flight on the potent Rafale aircraft has instilled in me a renewed sense of pride in the nation’s defence capabilities. I congratulate the Indian Air Force.”
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh also flew a sortie in a separate aircraft from the same air base.
Upon arrival in Ambala, the President was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. Prior to the flight, President Murmu was pictured with Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, the country’s first woman Rafale fighter jet pilot.
Singh was claimed to have been captured during ‘Operation Sindoor’ by a pro-Pakistan social media handle. The Press Information Bureau Fact Check had previously confirmed this claim as fake.
President Murmu’s flight follows in the footsteps of former Presidents who have flown in fighter jets, starting with A P J Abdul Kalam (Sukhoi 30 MKI) on June 8, 2006, and Pratibha Patil (Sukhoi 30 MKI) on November 25, 2009.
Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, Rafale jets were formally inducted into the IAF’s 17 Squadron, the ‘Golden Arrows’, in September 2020 at the Ambala Air Force Station.
The first five Rafale aircraft, which had arrived from France on July 27, 2020, were inducted into the Squadron.
The jets were used in Operation Sindoor, which was launched on May 7 to destroy several terror infrastructures in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding between the two neighbours on halting the military actions on May 10.
