President Murmu Soars in Rafale, Becomes First Head of State to Pilot Jet Post-Operation Sindoor
President flies fighter jet in historic sortie.
President Droupadi Murmu flew a 30-minute high-speed sortie in a twin-seat Rafale from Ambala Air Force Station on Wednesday, becoming the first head of state to pilot the French-made fighter post-Operation Sindoor and only the third Indian president to take to the skies in a frontline combat jet. The aircraft reached speeds of over 1,200 km/h and executed tactical maneuvers over Haryana’s airspace.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh accompanied her in a separate Rafale, while Murmu donned a custom-fitted G-suit, posed confidently with the pilot holding her helmet, and waved from the cockpit before takeoff at 11:27 am after receiving a ceremonial guard of honour by the 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows'. Ground crew captured the moment as the jet roared down the runway.
The sortie follows her historic 2023 Sukhoi-30 MKI flight in Tezpur, where she experienced supersonic speeds, and marks another milestone after former presidents APJ Abdul Kalam (2006) and Pratibha Patil (2009) flew the Su-30 from Lohegaon airbase near Pune. Murmu’s flight included live radio communication with the pilot and a post-landing debrief with IAF commanders.
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Rafale jets, inducted in September 2020 with the first five arriving from France in July, played a decisive role in Operation Sindoor’s May 7 precision strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK following the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. The 25-minute operation used SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs, triggering four days of intense drone and missile exchanges before the May 10 ceasefire.
The visit underscores India's growing aerial prowess with 36 Rafales now operational across Ambala and Hasimara, armed with Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles and MICA dogfight weapons. It also highlights the President’s active engagement with the armed forces as Supreme Commander, boosting morale among 30,000 IAF personnel stationed nationwide.
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