NEW DELHI, Apr 8 Indian President Draupadi Murmu in Saturday made a sortie on a Su-30 MKI fighter from the Tezpur air base in the state of Assam, the presidential secretariat said.
«The President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for about 30 minutes, surveying the Brahmaputra and the Tezpur Valley overlooking the Himalayas, before returning to the Air Force base,» the statement said.
President Murmu is the third President of India and the second female president to have flown in this manner. The aircraft was flown by Group Captain Naveen Kumar, Commander of 106 Squadron.
“It has been an exhilarating experience for me to fly the mighty Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet of the Indian Air Force. It is a matter of pride that India's defense capabilities have expanded significantly and cover all borders on land, air and sea. Congratulations to the Indian Air Force and the entire team of the Tezpur Air Force Base with the organization of this sortie,» Murmu wrote after the flight.
The Su-30MKI fighter is manufactured in India under a Russian license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The Indian Air Force is armed with about 270 such machines, including those delivered from Russia.