President Droupadi Murmu undertakes historic Rafale sortie at Ambala Air Force Station

AMBALA (Haryana): President and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, Droupadi Murmu, completed a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft at Ambala Air Force Station on Wednesday.

LIVE: President #DroupadiMurmu visits Ambala in Haryana, takes a sortie in a Rafale.#Watch–https://t.co/UQ5NioU0rx pic.twitter.com/oX2hcA2pqf

— DD News (@DDNewslive) October 29, 2025

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. At the Ambala Air Force Station, President Murmu was formally given a guard of honour prior to her Rafale sortie.

#WATCH | Haryana | President Droupadi Murmu receives a guard of honour at the Ambala Air Force Station. She will shortly take a sortie in the Rafale aircraft. pic.twitter.com/aA6eHU37sP

— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2025

On April 8, 2023, the President flew in a Sukhoi SU-30 MKI fighter jet at 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”, the Rashtrapati Bhavan has said in a statement on Tuesday.

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.

The President said, “The idea of inclusion defines India’s development journey. Our experience in illuminating homes in the remotest areas confirms our belief that energy equity is the foundation of social equity. Access to affordable and clean energy empowers communities, drives the local economy, and opens up opportunities that extend well beyond the provision of electricity,” adding that solar energy is not merely about power generation but also about empowerment and inclusive development.

The President said, “We should work with more dedication not only for our own countries but for the entire world, and not only for the present generation but for future generations”. She further expressed confidence that the deliberations and decisions of this Assembly will serve as a milestone in the production of solar energy, contributing to the building of an inclusive and equitable world. (ANI)