Droupadi Murmu fighter jet flight: President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday became the first president to take a sortie in Rafale fighter jet at Air Force Station in Haryana’s Ambala.
Sharing her experience on her X handle, 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.”
Shortly before the aircraft took off at 11.27 am, the President Murmu posed for pictures, holding a helmet in her hand and wearing sun glasses. She waved from inside the jet just ahead of starting with her flight.
Rafale jets were used during Operation Sindoor — a targeted response by India to the April 22 dastardly Pahalgam terror attack.
#WATCH | Haryana: President Droupadi Murmu takes off in a Rafale aircraft from the Ambala Air Force Station pic.twitter.com/XP0gy8cYRH
— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2025
However, this was not her first stint with fighter jets. On April 8, 2023, Murmu became the third President and second woman head of the state to take a sortie in Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.
“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… pic.twitter.com/Ud3LX8uqBU
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 29, 2025
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 on June 8, 2006 and November 25, 2009, respectively.
VIDEO | President Droupadi Murmu inspects guard of honour at Ambala air base. The President will take a sortie in Rafale fighter jet from Ambala Air Force base today.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/CAlCgmka7z
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 29, 2025
Rafale fighter aircraft, manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, arrived from France on July 27, 2020 and were formally inducted into the Indian Air Force in September 2020 at the Air Force Station, Ambala.
