President and Supreme Commander of the armed forces Droupadi Murmu took a sortie in an Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday. She is the third President and second woman President to undertake such a sortie.
The President flew for approximately 30 minutes covering Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley with a view of Himalayas before returning to the Air Force Station, a statement from Rashtrapati Bhawan said.
“It was an exhilarating experience for me to fly in the mighty Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft of the IAF. It is a matter of pride that India’s defence capabilities have expanded immensely to cover all the frontiers of land, air and sea. I congratulate the IAF and the entire team of Air Force Station Tezpur for organising this sortie,” Ms. Murmu later wrote in the visitor’s book.
The SU-30MKI flew at a height of about two kilometres above sea level and at a speed of about 800 kilometres per hour and was flown by Group Captain Naveen Kumar, Commanding Officer of 106 Squadron.
The President was also briefed on the operational capabilities of the aircraft and the Indian Air Force (IAF). She expressed satisfaction on the operational preparedness of the IAF, the statement added.
In March, Ms. Murmu had visited INS Vikrant and interacted with officers and sailors on board of the indigenously built aircraft which was commissioned last September.
