Droupadi Murmu becomes 1st Indian President to fly in a Rafale jet

In a proud moment for the Indian Armed Forces, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday took to the skies in a Rafale fighter jet at the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana. The flight marked a historic milestone, as she became the first Indian President to experience a sortie in the country’s most advanced combat aircraft.

A sortie is simply a single flight or mission by a military aircraft, involving take-off, a planned route, and safe landing. In the President’s case, it was not a combat or training mission but a familiarisation flight , much like a guided ride in the aircraft. It gave her a firsthand feel of how the Air Force operates, how the Rafale manoeuvres, and how pilots coordinate in the air.

The President, who also serves as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces , was accompanied in the skies by Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh , who led the formation sortie in another Rafale from the same fleet. The aircraft carrying the President was piloted by Group Captain Amit Gehani , the Commanding Officer of No. 17 Squadron “Golden Arrows.”

Before take-off, President Murmu was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at the airbase. Wearing a G-suit and sunglasses, she greeted officers, posed for photographs with the pilot, and waved from the cockpit before the Rafale took off at 11:27 am . The Air Chief Marshal flew in close coordination with her aircraft, maintaining formation as they soared above the Ambala skies.

Using two aircraft for such sorties is standard Air Force practice. One carries the guest observer, in this case, the President, while the other, flown by a senior officer, acts as a companion jet for safety, formation control, and communication. The presence of the Air Chief Marshal added ceremonial weight to the event, symbolising unity between the armed forces and the highest office in the country.

This was President Murmu’s second sortie in a fighter aircraft. In April 2023 , she flew in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI from Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam , becoming only the third President to do so after Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil , who had undertaken similar flights in 2006 and 2009 respectively. Such sorties, though symbolic, offer the President firsthand insight into the training, precision, and challenges faced by the Indian Air Force.

The Rafale , built by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation , was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force in September 2020 at the same Ambala base. The first five Rafales arrived from France on July 27, 2020 , and were inducted into the No. 17 Squadron “Golden Arrows.”

The “Golden Arrows,” formed in 1951, is among the IAF’s most decorated squadrons. It earlier operated MiG-21 aircraft and took part in several major operations before transitioning to Rafales. The Rafale is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter jet capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, reconnaissance, and deep-strike missions. The fleet was used in Operation Sindoor earlier this year to destroy terrorist infrastructure across the border, reinforcing its role as a key element of India’s frontline air defence.

The President’s sortie came a day after she inaugurated the Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly in New Delhi. Addressing the gathering, she called the ISA a symbol of shared human aspiration to harness solar energy for inclusion and prosperity, while reaffirming India’s commitment to sustainable growth and climate action.

Her back-to-back engagements, the ISA session and the Rafale sortie, reflected two strong sides of India’s modern identity: sustainability and strength . One highlighted the nation’s global leadership in clean energy, the other its defence readiness and technological excellence.

As the two Rafales flew in formation over Ambala, the image captured more than just an air display. It reflected India’s confidence and progress, a moment where its first tribal woman President shared the cockpit of one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets, symbolising courage, inclusion, and national pride.