President Murmu Takes Sortie In Rafale Fighter Jet From Ambala Airbase: Watch Video
Shortly before the aircraft took off at 11.27 am, President Droupadi Murmu waved from inside the Rafale jet.
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday took a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Air Force Station in Haryana's Ambala. Air Chief Marshal A P Singh also flew in a separate aircraft from the same airbase.
In the video shared by the President of India on YouTube, the President wore a G-suit before getting on to the Rafale jet. Wearing sunglasses and holding a helmet in her hand, Murmu even posed for a pictures with the pilot.
Shortly before the aircraft took off at 11.27 am, the President waved from inside the jet. The President was also accorded a ceremonial guard of honour after she arrived at the Air Force Station on Wednesday morning.
Rafale jets were used during Operation Sindoor, launched by India in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In April 2023, Murmu, the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces has undertaken a sortie in Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station, Assam.
Former presidents A P J 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.
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.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Murmu wrote, "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."
