By : Gitanjali Thorat | PR Desk
Ambala (Haryana): President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday scripted history by flying in a French-made Rafale fighter jet from the Indian Air Force (IAF) Station in Ambala, Haryana. With this sortie, she became the first President of India to fly in two different fighter jets of the Indian Air Force.
Earlier, in April 2023, she had undertaken a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft from the Air Force base in Tezpur, Assam.
Historic Takeoff from Ambala
Dressed in a G-suit and aviator sunglasses, President Murmu arrived at the Ambala Air Base for the historic flight. The aircraft was piloted by Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’. The Rafale carrying the President took off at 11:27 a.m., according to an official statement released by the President’s Office.
Flight Details
The statement said the flight lasted around 30 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 200 kilometers. The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 15,000 feet and achieved a top speed of about 700 kilometers per hour.
Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh also participated in the event, taking off from the same air base in a separate Rafale aircraft.
President Murmu’s Words After the Sortie
After landing, President Murmu described the experience as deeply inspiring and a moment of immense pride.
“Flying has been an unforgettable experience for me. Flying in the powerful Rafale aircraft has instilled in me a new sense of pride in the country’s defence capabilities. I congratulate the Indian Air Force.” — President Droupadi Murmu
Background of Rafale Squadron
The Rafale fighter jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation (France), were formally inducted into the 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ of the Indian Air Force in 2020. The squadron is based in Ambala, one of the IAF’s oldest and most strategically important airbases.
Prior to President Murmu, two other Presidents had flown in IAF fighter jets — Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in a Sukhoi-30 MKI on June 8, 2006, and Pratibha Patil on November 25, 2009.
Photo with India’s First Woman Rafale Pilot
Before the sortie, President Murmu was accorded a ceremonial welcome upon her arrival at the Ambala Air Base. She also posed for a photograph with Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, India’s first woman Rafale pilot.
A photograph released by Rashtrapati Bhavan shows President Murmu and Shivangi Singh standing together on the flight deck, symbolizing the growing role of women in India’s defense forces.
Recently, certain Pakistani media outlets falsely claimed that Shivangi Singh had been captured during ‘Operation Sindoor’. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check later confirmed that this claim was completely baseless.
President Murmu’s Rafale sortie marks another milestone in India’s defense history — showcasing the country’s technological advancement, the professionalism of its armed forces, and the increasing representation of women in key defense roles.
