President Droupadi Murmu, wearing an olive-green flying suit and helmet, took a 25-minute sortie as co-pilot in Light Combat Helicopter 'Prachand' near the India-Pakistan border in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan on Friday. The helicopter took off from the Jaisalmer Air Force Station after the captain briefed the president, according to the Indian Air Force (IAF). During the flight, President Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, delivered a message to the nation from the cockpit — “Prachand helicopter is a powerful symbol of self-reliance.”“At this moment, I am flying over the Jaisalmer district. Earlier, IAF Chief Air Marshal A P Singh welcomed the president at the IAF station. With today's sortie, Murmu became the first Indian president to fly in an attack helicopter, adding another milestone to her engagements with frontline military platforms.

Source: Mint February 27, 2026 13:32 UTC