Clad in an olive-green flying suit and helmet, President Droupadi Murmu undertook a 25-minute sortie as co-pilot in the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’ near the India-Pakistan border in Jaisalmer district on Friday. The helicopter took off from the Indian Air Force station in Jaisalmer after a briefing by the captain, with the President waving from the cockpit before departure.

Flying over the Pokharan firing range ahead of the ‘Vayu Shakti’ firepower demonstration, Murmu delivered a message to the nation from the cockpit, describing Prachand as a powerful symbol of self-reliance. She extended heartfelt greetings to the armed forces, saluting their courage and dedication.

Earlier, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh welcomed the President at the station. With this flight, Murmu became the first Indian President to sortie in an attack helicopter. She had previously flown in a Rafale at Ambala in October last year and in a Sukhoi-30MKI at Tezpur in April 2023.

The HAL Light Combat Helicopter, built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, is India’s first indigenously designed combat helicopter, equipped with advanced avionics, stealth features, night-attack capability, and a formidable weapons suite, significantly enhancing the IAF’s combat strength.