Jaipur, Feb 27 — Droupadi Murmu on Friday undertook a sortie as co-pilot in the HAL Light Combat Helicopter Prachand near the India–Pakistan border in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district.
The helicopter took off from the Indian Air Force station in Jaisalmer after a detailed pre-flight briefing by the captain. Wearing an olive-green flight suit and helmet, the President was seen acknowledging personnel from the cockpit before departure.
‘Prachand’ is India’s first indigenously designed and developed light combat helicopter, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The platform has been built to operate effectively in high-altitude terrain and challenging battlefield conditions, strengthening the country’s indigenous defence capabilities.
The sortie underscored India’s focus on self-reliance in defence manufacturing and highlighted the operational readiness of the armed forces along the western frontier.