JAISALMER — In a powerful display of national strength and self-reliance, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday, February 27, 2026, became the first Indian President to fly in an attack helicopter. Clad in an olive-green flying suit and helmet, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces undertook a 25-minute sortie as a co-pilot in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) ‘Prachand’ over the Jaisalmer district, near the sensitive India-Pakistan border.
The historic flight took off from the Jaisalmer Air Force Station following a comprehensive briefing from the mission captain. As the helicopter soared over the Pokharan firing range, President Murmu delivered a heartfelt message to the nation directly from the cockpit. “Prachand helicopter is a powerful symbol of self-reliance,” she remarked, extending her gratitude and greetings to the brave soldiers guarding the nation’s frontiers. The President’s flight path offered a vantage view of the terrain where the Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to conduct ‘Vayu Shakti’, a massive firepower demonstration scheduled for Friday evening.
Earlier in the day, IAF Chief Air Marshal AP Singh welcomed the President at the station. This sortie marks another significant milestone in President Murmu’s engagement with India’s frontline military platforms. She is now the first President to have flown in two different fighter aircraft—having undertaken a sortie in a Rafale at Ambala in October last year and a Sukhoi-30 MKI at Tezpur in April 2023—in addition to today’s flight in the attack helicopter.
The LCH ‘Prachand’, meaning “fierce,” is a crown jewel of India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), it is the world’s only attack helicopter capable of landing and taking off at altitudes of 5,000 metres with a considerable load of weapons and fuel. Equipped with stealth features, night-attack capabilities, and advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, the Prachand is designed specifically to meet the requirements of the Indian Armed Forces in high-altitude battlefields like Siachen. The President is expected to remain in Jaisalmer to witness the day-dusk-night ‘Vayu Shakti’ exercise, which will showcase the IAF’s diverse aerial capabilities.
