Supreme Commander takes maiden sortie in French-origin fighter jet, reaffirming India’s aerial prowess
CHANDIGARH: President Droupadi Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, scripted aviation history on Wednesday by undertaking a thrilling 30-minute sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Air Force Station in Haryana’s Ambala.
The President, clad in a G-suit and sunglasses, waved enthusiastically from the cockpit before the twin-engine jet, piloted by Group Captain Amit Gehani—Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron (‘Golden Arrows’)—roared into the skies at 11:27 am.
The aircraft soared to an altitude of 15,000 feet and clocked speeds of around 700 kmph, covering approximately 200 km before a smooth landing back at the base.Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh accompanied the sortie in a separate aircraft from the same airbase.This marks President Murmu as the first Indian President to fly in two different fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF). In April 2023, she had undertaken a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI at Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.Upon arrival earlier in the morning, President Murmu was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. She was briefed on the Rafale’s cutting-edge operational capabilities before posing for photographs with the pilot, helmet in hand.In a note penned in the visitors’ book, the President 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 Rafale, manufactured by France’s Dassault Aviation, was formally inducted into the IAF in September 2020 at Ambala. The first batch of five jets arrived from France on July 27, 2020, bolstering the 17 Squadron. These multi-role fighters played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, contributing to intense clashes that ceased under a mutual understanding on May 10.
Notably, former Presidents A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (June 8, 2006) and Pratibha Patil (November 25, 2009) had flown in Sukhoi-30 MKI jets from Lohegaon Air Force Station near Pune.
The sortie underscores the IAF’s operational readiness and the Rafale’s integration into India’s defence arsenal, with the upcoming Rafale-M variant set to ensure full fighter strength on both aircraft carriers.
