President Droupadi Murmu to Fly in Rafale Fighter Jet from Ambala Air Force Station

President's Visit to Ambala Air Force Station

On Wednesday morning, President Droupadi Murmu arrived at the Air Force Station in Ambala, Haryana, where she is set to take a flight in a Rafale fighter jet. This comes in the wake of India's response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, during which Rafale jets were deployed as part of 'Operation Sindoor'.

The event will be attended by several officials, including Air Chief Marshal A P Singh. A statement released by the President's office on Tuesday confirmed, 'President Droupadi Murmu will travel to Ambala tomorrow to fly in the Rafale aircraft.'

As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Murmu previously flew a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet at Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on April 8, 2023, becoming the third president to do so.

Former Presidents A P J Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil also flew Sukhoi-30 MKI jets from the Lohegaon Air Force Station near Pune on June 8, 2006, and November 25, 2009, respectively.

The Rafale fighter jets, manufactured by the French aerospace company Dassault Aviation, were officially inducted into the Indian Air Force at Ambala Air Force Station in September 2020.

The first five Rafale jets were integrated into the 17th Squadron, known as the Golden Arrows, and arrived from France on July 27, 2020. The Rafales were utilized in 'Operation Sindoor', which commenced on May 7 to eliminate terrorist infrastructures in areas controlled by Pakistan. Intense military clashes ensued for four days, concluding on May 10 after an agreement to cease hostilities.