Ambala (Haryana) [India], October 29 : Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flew a Rafale fighter jet over Ambala on Wednesday, leading a formation sortie that also saw President Droupadi Murmu experience the aircraft for the first time.
Air Chief Marshal Singh piloted a separate Rafale from the same fleet, flying in close coordination with the aircraft carrying the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh was also at the Air Force Station when the President took off in the Rafale.
The President's aircraft was flown by Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of No 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows'.
The 'Golden Arrows' received a Unit Citation from the CAS during the 93rd Air Force Day Celebrations at Hindon Air Force Base for their crucial role in Operation Sindoor.
Ambala Air Force Station is the first AFS to receive Rafale aircraft from the Dassault facility in France.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the aircraft flew for approximately 30 minutes, covering about 200 kilometres before returning to the Air Force Station.
The aircraft flew at a height of about 15000 feet above sea level and a speed of about 700 kilometres per hour, according to the MoD statement.
President and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces Droupadi Murmu completed a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft at Ambala Air Force Station. At the Ambala Air Force Station, President Murmu was formally accorded a guard of honour before her Rafale sortie.
On April 8, 2023, the President flew in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet from Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.
"The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, will visit Ambala, Haryana tomorrow, where she will take a sortie in a Rafale," according to a statement by the Rashtrapati Bhavan issued on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, President Murmu inaugurated the opening plenary of the Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly (ISA) in the national capital, according to a release from the President's Secretariat.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the ISA stands as a symbol of humanity's shared aspiration--to harness solar energy for inclusion, dignity, and collective prosperity.
The President said that climate change is affecting the entire world. Urgent and concrete steps need to be taken to deal with this threat. India is committed to combating climate change and is taking determined steps. She highlighted that ISA represents a significant step towards addressing this global challenge by encouraging the adoption and use of solar energy.