President Droupadi Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, will take a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana on Wednesday, the Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Tuesday.
The Rafale, manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, is one of the most advanced multirole fighter jets in the Indian Air Force (IAF) inventory. The aircraft were formally inducted into the IAF in September 2020, marking a major milestone in India’s air combat capabilities.
A statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan said, “The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, will visit Ambala, Haryana tomorrow where she will take a sortie in Rafale.”
A Tradition of Presidential Sorties
President Murmu will be the first Indian head of state to fly in a Rafale, continuing a long-standing tradition of Presidents taking sorties in IAF fighter aircraft.
She had earlier flown in a Sukhoi-30MKI on April 8, 2023, from the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam, becoming the third President and second woman head of state to do so.
Before her, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil had taken sorties in Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft from Lohegaon Air Base, Pune, on June 8, 2006, and November 25, 2009, respectively.
Rafale’s Role in Operation Sindoor
The Rafale jets played a crucial role in Operation Sindoor, launched by India in May 2025 following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The operation targeted terrorist infrastructure across the border and continued for four days until an understanding was reached to cease hostilities on May 10.
The Rafale fleet, operated by the IAF’s elite 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’, demonstrated its precision strike capability during the operation, reaffirming its status as a strategic asset in India’s aerial arsenal.
Background
India received its first batch of five Rafale aircraft from France on July 27, 2020, and formally inducted them into service at Ambala Air Force Station two months later. Since then, the Rafale has been regarded as a game-changer for India’s air dominance, bringing unmatched agility, advanced avionics, and electronic warfare systems.
President Murmu’s sortie is expected to highlight the operational excellence of the IAF and showcase India’s growing air power and defence preparedness.
