President Droupadi Murmu took to the skies on Wednesday, embarking on a sortie in a state-of-the-art Rafale fighter jet from the Air Force Station in Ambala, Haryana. The event was graced by the presence of Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, among other dignitaries.
This significant flight aboard the Rafale jet comes at a time when the aircraft played a crucial role in Operation Sindoor, a recent Indian armed forces operation targeting terror infrastructure in response to a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
President Murmu was seen in full flight gear, sporting a uniform and helmet, ready for her aerial adventure.
See the President’s Rafale Jet Sortie
This experience follows President Murmu’s previous sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft in April 2023. She holds the distinction of being the third President and the second woman head of state in India to undertake such a flight. Notably, former Presidents APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil also had the experience of flying in Sukhoi-30 MKI jets.
About the Rafale Jets
The Rafale fighter jets, manufactured by the French firm Dassault Aviation, were officially integrated into the Indian Air Force in September 2020. The induction ceremony took place at the very same Ambala Air Force station. The initial squadron received five Rafale aircraft, arriving from France on July 27, 2020, and were designated as the ‘Golden Arrows’ squadron.