Ambala: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Indian Air Force Station in Ambala, Haryana, calling it an “unforgettable experience.” The flight marks another milestone in her tenure as she becomes the first President of India to take sorties in two different fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh also took off from the same base in a separate aircraft.

Before boarding the Rafale, President Murmu donned a G-suit and sunglasses, posing for photographs with her pilot, Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron — the “Golden Arrows.” The President waved from the cockpit before the jet took off at 11:27 a.m., flying for about 30 minutes and covering roughly 200 kilometres at an altitude of 15,000 feet and a speed of around 700 kilometres per hour, according to a statement from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Upon her arrival at the Ambala air base, President Murmu was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. In the visitor’s book, she wrote:

“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.”

The President was also briefed on the operational capabilities of the Rafale and the Indian Air Force’s preparedness.

This is not the first time Murmu has taken to the skies in a fighter aircraft. In April 2023, she flew in a Sukhoi-30 MKI from the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.

Former Presidents A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil had also undertaken sorties in Sukhoi-30 MKI jets in 2006 and 2009, respectively.

Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the Rafale was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force in September 2020, with the first five jets arriving from France in July of that year to join the 17 Squadron “Golden Arrows” at Ambala.