President of India takes a historic sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft

Tags: Defence National News

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu took a historic sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on April 8, 2023.

An overview of the news

• The President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for about 30 minutes.

• The aircraft was flown by Group Captain Naveen Kumar, Commanding Officer of 106 Squadron.

• The aircraft flew at an altitude of about two kilometers above sea level and at a speed of about 800 kilometers per hour.

• The President's flight in the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft is a part of his efforts to engage with the armed forces as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces.

Country's second President to fly in fighter jet

• President Draupadi Murmu is the second President of the country to fly in Sukhoi MKI 30 fighter jet and the fourth President of the country to fly in a fighter aircraft.

• Earlier, former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Pratibha Patil and Ramnath Kovind have flown in Indian Air Force fighter aircraft.

• Before President Draupadi Murmu, country's first woman President Pratibha Patil flew in Sukhoi in 2009.

Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft

• It is a two-seat multirole fighter aircraft.

• It is developed by Russian company Sukhoi and manufactured under license by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

• Range – 3000 Km