President Droupadi Murmu flies sortie in Rafale jet
What's the story
President Droupadi Murmu took off in a Rafale fighter jet from the Ambala Air Force Base in Haryana on Wednesday. This makes her the first Indian President to fly in the modern aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Before this, President Murmu had taken a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam. She was airborne for around 30 minutes during that sortie.
Strategic asset
India has 36 Rafale jets
The Rafale jets are known for their multi-role capabilities and advanced weapon systems. They can jam enemy radars and strike targets from over 300km away. Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the Rafale jets were inducted into the IAF in September 2020 at the Air Force Station, Ambala. India currently has 36 of these advanced fighter aircraft.
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#WATCH | Haryana: President Droupadi Murmu takes off in a Rafale aircraft from the Ambala Air Force Station pic.twitter.com/XP0gy8cYRH
— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2025
Op Sindoor
Jets used during Op Sindoor
The first five Rafale aircraft landed from France on July 27, 2020, and were inducted into 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows.' The Rafale jets were used in Operation Sindoor, which began on May 7 to target various terrorist installations in Pakistani-controlled regions. The jets had taken off from Ambala Air Force Base. The strikes triggered four days of fierce confrontations that ended with an agreement to suspend the military actions on May 10.
Future expansion
India plans to induct more Rafale jets
India plans to induct more Rafale jets, including 26 Marine variants for its aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. Dassault Aviation is also looking to set up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Hyderabad for the M-88 engines of the Rafales. Indian companies like Tata Group are expected to play a significant role in this local manufacturing initiative.