On October 29, 2025, President Droupadi Murmu soared into the skies over Ambala Air Force Station, Haryana, marking an iconic moment as the first Indian President to take a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet. Accompanied by Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh and piloted by Group Captain Amit Gehani of the 17 Squadron.
This mission reflected more than mere ceremonial significance; it embodied her role as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces and signalled India’s continual strengthening of its defence capabilities. The Indian Air Force and Rashtrapati Bhavan lauded the event, describing it as a proud reaffirmation of civilian-military harmony and a tribute to “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) in defence preparedness.
Experiencing India’s Cutting-Edge Aerial Power
The Rafale, manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France and inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2020, represents a leap in India’s air combat readiness with advanced multi-role capabilities including precision strikes, electronic warfare, and reconnaissance.
During her historic Rafale sortie, President Murmu posed with Shivangi Singh, India’s first woman Rafale pilot, reinforcing support for women in combat roles. This powerful image also refuted Pakistani propaganda falsely claiming Singh’s capture during Operation Sindoor.
President Murmu was briefed extensively on the jet’s sophisticated operations, including its recent operational relevance in missions like Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled areas earlier in 2025. The Air Force highlighted this sortie as a symbolic gesture showing the confidence India’s highest leadership places in the strength and agility of its defence forces.
After safely returning to Ambala, President Murmu wrote in the visitor’s book, “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”.
Tribal Roots Soar
President Murmu’s aerospace journey is especially symbolic when seen against her remarkable rise from Uparbeda, a small tribal village in Odisha, to India’s highest constitutional office and now, the cockpit of its most advanced fighter jets. In 2023, she had flown a Sukhoi-30 MKI, a milestone that positioned her among a few Indian Presidents who have engaged directly with combat aviation.
This trajectory underscores themes of inclusion, resilience, and empowerment in India’s evolving democracy, particularly for tribal and underrepresented communities. Defence analysts regard such participations as vital morale boosters for the armed forces and as powerful symbols of India’s unity in diversity, signalling that leadership courageously embraces all sections of society without discrimination.
"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
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
President Murmu’s Rafale sortie exemplifies leadership that transcends ceremonial trappings, manifesting as active engagement, representation, and inspiration. It is a story of breaking barriers, be they social, geographical, or gendered, and of an inclusive India rising resiliently and proudly.
As we witness more voices from marginalised communities ascending to positions of power, this flight urges us to ask how society can further embody these values of courage, empathy, and collective progress.
President Droupadi Murmu took a sortie in a Rafale aircraft at Air Force Station, Ambala, Haryana. She is the first President of India to take sortie in two fighter aircrafts of the Indian Air Force. Earlier, she took a sortie in Sukhoi 30 MKI in 2023. pic.twitter.com/Rvj1ebaCou
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 29, 2025
