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President Murmu Completes Rafale Sortie at Ambala, Becomes First to Fly Two IAF Fighters

The high-visibility flight underscored Rafale roles in Operation Sindoor, with a photo alongside pilot Shivangi Singh countering Pakistani disinformation.

Overview

  • The President flew for about 30 minutes over roughly 200 kilometres at around 15,000 feet and 700 km/h, with Group Captain Amit Gehani of No. 17 Squadron piloting.
  • Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh also took off in a separate Rafale from the same base during the event.
  • Rashtrapati Bhavan noted she is the first Indian President to have flown in two different IAF fighters, following her 2023 Sukhoi-30 MKI sortie at Tezpur.
  • Murmu described the Rafale flight as an “unforgettable experience” in the visitors’ book, saying it renewed her pride in India’s defence capabilities.
  • Her appearance with Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh publicly rebutted earlier Pakistani false claims from the Operation Sindoor period, as PIB Fact Check also flagged a separate AI-generated fake video circulating today.