President In The Cockpit: Murmu Makes History With ‘Prachand’ Sortie Near India-Pakistan Border
During the approx 25-minute sortie, the helicopters flew over prominent landmarks including Gadisar Lake and Jaisalmer Fort. Image courtesy: RNA
Under the vast desert skies of Jaisalmer, clad in an olive-green flying suit and helmet, President Droupadi Murmu climbed into the cockpit of India’s indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand, and with this, into the pages of history. She became first Indian President to fly the helicopter.
Last year on October 29, it was a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Indian Air Force Station in Ambala, and this time, President Murmu flew the Prachanda helicopter. On Friday (February 27, 2026), the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces undertook a 25-minute sortie as co-pilot in the frontline attack helicopter near the India-Pakistan border.
More than being just a flight, President Murmu’s Prachanda sortie was a message of confidence, capability and commitment.
President Murmu Prachanda sortie: A commander among her troops
The helicopter lifted off from the Jaisalmer Air Force Station after a detailed operational briefing. Before departure, President Murmu waved from the cockpit. Flying over the strategically sensitive western sector, including the Pokhran firing range, the President addressed the nation mid-air.
“Prachand helicopter is a powerful symbol of self-reliance. At this moment, I am flying over the Jaisalmer district. I extend my heartfelt greetings and deepest gratitude to our brave soldiers. A warm salute to you. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat,” she said.
Her words resonated not just with troops stationed in forward areas, but with a nation watching its Supreme Commander share the cockpit of a combat platform designed for war.
Why this sortie is historic
While Presidents have traditionally engaged with the armed forces ceremonially, President Murmu has steadily expanded that engagement into operational symbolism. With Friday’s flight, she became the first Indian President to fly in an attack helicopter, adding to an already unprecedented record.
In April 2023, she flew a 30-minute sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI over Assam’s Tezpur valley and the Brahmaputra. In October last year, she flew in a Rafale fighter jet at Ambala Air Force Station. She is now the first Indian President to have flown in multiple frontline fighter and combat aircraft platforms of the Indian Air Force, a rare distinction globally.
Prachand: India’s indigenous combat edge
A dedicated combat helicopter built for high-altitude and desert warfare, the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand is designed and developed by defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), representing a major milestone in India’s defence self-reliance. Built for operations in extreme terrains, from the icy heights of Ladakh to the deserts of Rajasthan, the helicopter combines agility with firepower.
Equipped with advanced avionics, stealth features and night-attack capability, Prachand carries air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles, rockets and a 20 mm cannon. Its ability to operate in high-altitude zones gives India a critical tactical advantage in contested environments.
The sortie took place over the Pokhran firing range, where the Indian Air Force is set to conduct its high-profile firepower demonstration, Vayu Shakti, spanning day, dusk and night operations.
Meanwhile, before she undertook the historic sortie, President Murmu was welcomed at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh.
