Indian President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft from the Air Force Station in Ambala, Haryana, becoming the first Indian President to fly in two different fighter jets of the Indian Air Force. Earlier, in April 2023, she had flown in a Sukhoi-30MKI from Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.

Reflecting on the experience, the President tweeted, “The sortie on the 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 our nation’s defence capabilities. I congratulate the Indian Air Force and the entire team at Air Force Station Ambala for successfully organising this sortie.”