After Sukhoi, President Murmu to take Rafale sortie on Wednesday
- EP News Service
- Oct 28, 2025
President Murmu took a sortie in Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft on April 8, 2023
NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu, is set to etch another chapter in her trailblazing tenure by piloting a Rafale fighter jet during a high-altitude sortie from Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. This exhilarating endeavor follows her groundbreaking 2023 flight in a Sukhoi-30 MKI from Tezpur, Assam, where she became the first Indian head of state to commandeer a frontline combat aircraft.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, "The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, will visit Ambala, Haryana tomorrow where she will take a sortie in Rafale."
The 30-minute sortie, coordinated by the Indian Air Force's No. 17 Squadron the "Golden Arrows" will involve simulated maneuvers at speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h, showcasing the Rafale's multirole prowess: from air superiority to precision strikes. Equipped with advanced AESA radars and Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles, the French-origin jet represents a cornerstone of India's $8.7 billion deal with Dassault Aviation, bolstering Indo-French strategic ties amid regional tensions.
Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, overseeing the event, noted, "The President's familiarity with high-G maneuvers will allow her to experience the jet's agility firsthand, underscoring our operational readiness."
President Murmu's affinity for the skies isn't serendipitous; it reflects her journey from Odisha's tribal heartlands to Rashtrapati Bhavan, symbolizing empowerment. In 2023's Sukhoi flight, she marveled at the Brahmaputra's expanse, tweeting, "From the ground to the heavens, India's spirit soars." This Rafale outing arrives amid IAF's push for self-reliance, with indigenous Tejas integrations and squadron rebuilds. Critics, however, question the optics: is it morale-boosting or resource-diverting?
As Ambala buzzes with preparations—briefings, medical checks, and G-suit fittings, the sortie will be monitored via satellite links to Delhi. Post-flight, President Murmu will interact with pilots, perhaps sharing insights on women's roles in defense, where female inductees have surged 200% since 2019. This isn't just a joyride; it's a statement on India's aerospace ambitions, from Chandrayaan triumphs to fighter fleet expansions. In an era of drone warfare and cyber threats, Murmu's cockpit time reaffirms: leadership, like the Rafale, must be agile, precise, and unyielding.
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