Pakistan's fake narrative exposed again? President Droupadi Murmu poses with pilot Pakistan falsely claimed ‘captured’
Continuing a presidential tradition, Murmu flew in a Rafale jet, becoming the first Indian President to pilot two different fighter aircraft. The 30-minute sortie emphasized India's defense prowess and her admiration for the Indian Air Force.
During her historic sortie in the Indian Air Force's Rafale fighter jet on Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu shared a limelight moment in a photograph with Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, who was claimed to have been captured during ‘Operation Sindoor’ by a pro-Pakistan social media handle.
The Rafale jets had been used in Operation Sindoor, launched on 7 May to target terror infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territories, in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
The false claims circulating on multiple Pakistani social media accounts suggested that Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh's plane had been disabled and that she had been captured. Some posts even included videos purportedly showing the Air Chief Marshal visiting her “grief-stricken family”.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) had debunked this claim as fake on 10 May.
India responded quickly, with the government's fact-check wing clarifying, “Pro-Pakistan social media handles claimed an Indian female Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, has been captured in Pakistan. This claim is fake!”
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Murmu made history as she became the first President of India to fly in two different fighter aircraft of the IAF.
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.
Murmu's recent flight continues a tradition of Indian Presidents flying in fighter jets, following A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who flew a Sukhoi 30 MKI on 8 June, 2006, and Pratibha Patil, who did the same on 25 November, 2009.
The Rafale jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, were officially inducted into the Indian Air Force's 17 Squadron, the ‘Golden Arrows,’ in September 2020 at Ambala Air Force Station. The first five Rafale aircraft had arrived from France on 27 July 2020, and were immediately integrated into the squadron.
These jets were deployed in Operation Sindoor, launched on 7 May to target terror infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes led to four days of intense clashes, which concluded on 10 May with an understanding between the two countries to halt military actions.
According to a release from the President's Secretariat, President Murmu inaugurated the opening plenary of the Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly (ISA) in the national capital earlier on Tuesday.
(With inputs from PTI)