President Droupadi Murmu takes sortie in Rafale fighter jet — watch video

President Droupadi Murmu took a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet on Wednesday (October 29). She arrived at Air Force Station in Haryana's Ambala on Wednesday morning to fly the fighter aircraft.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shared a live broadcast as the Rafale jet carrying Murmu took flight from the Ambala station.

‘The message is to empower women…to encourage them in the field of defence and military," as per the commentary by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s X social media handle.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh was among others present on the occasion. The aircraft was flown by Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron, a statement issued by the President's office said.

Details of Murmu's sortie

President Murmu is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces. She became the first President of India to have taken sortie in two fighter aircrafts of the Indian Air Force. Earlier, she took a sortie in Sukhoi 30 MKI in 2023.

The President flew for approximately 30 minutes, covering about 200 kilometers before returning to the Air Force Station in Ambala.

The fighter jet flew at a height of about 15,000 ft above sea level and at a speed of about 700 kilometers per hour.

Rafale jets were used during Operation Sindoor, launched by India in response to the April 22 dastardly Pahalgam terror attack.

A statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday said, “The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, will visit Ambala, Haryana tomorrow where she will take a sortie in Rafale.”

Murmu's ‘unforgettable experience’

President Droupadi Murmu said her sortie in Rafale fighter jet on Wednesday was an unforgettable experience, and this first flight on the aircraft has instilled in her a renewed sense of pride in the nation's defence capabilities.

In the visitor’s book, the President expressed her feelings by writing a brief note in which she said: "I am delighted to visit Air Force Station Ambala for my maiden flight on Rafale aircraft of the Indian Air Force".

"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 and the entire team of Air Force Station, Ambala for organising this sortie successfully," Murmu said.

Murmu took sortie in Sukhoi-30 MKI

On April 8, 2023, Murmu became the third President and second woman head of the state to take a sortie in Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station, Assam.

Former presidents APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil had undertaken sorties in Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Air Force Station, Lohegaon near Pune on June 8, 2006 and November 25, 2009, respectively.

About Rafale fighter aircraft

Manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, Rafale fighter aircraft were formally inducted into the Indian Air Force in September 2020 at the Air Force Station, Ambala.

The first five Rafale aircraft, which had arrived from France on July 27, 2020, were inducted in 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows'.

The Rafale 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 on stopping the military actions on May 10.

(With inputs from agencies)