President Murmu to take sortie in indigenous 'Prachand' light combat helicopter in Jaisalmer

President of India Droupadi Murmu to take sortie in IAF indegnious helicopter 'Prachand' in Jaiselmer on Friday, ahead of IAF excercise 'Vayu Shakti'.

President of India Droupadi Murmu will be taking a sortie in India’s Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’ in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer on Friday.

The President will embark on a visit to Jaisalmer on February 27 to witness the Indian Air Force's Exercise Vayu Shakti.

Prior to the exercise, President Droupadi Murmu will undertake a sortie in India's indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand.

The mission features a two-aircraft LCH formation, with Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh piloting the second helicopter.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu created history by becoming the first Indian head of state to fly in a Rafale fighter jet at Ambala Airbase in October 2025.

The high-profile sortie in the French-origin multirole fighter aircraft, which was part of IAF's 17 Squadron, was widely viewed as a powerful endorsement of India's indigenous defence ambitions and women's empowerment in military aviation, signalling New Delhi's combat readiness amid regional tensions.

The flight showcased Rafale's advanced capabilities, boosting national pride and strategic messaging.

Indian Airforce’s Ex Vayu Shakti

In a major firepower demonstration scheduled for February 27, 2026, at Pokhran Air-to-Ground Range, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, the Indian Air force will be conducting Exercise Vayu Shakti.

This massive exercise will showcase over 77 fighter aircraft (including Rafale, Su-30MKI, Tejas Mk1, Mirage-2000, Jaguar), 43 helicopters, including LCH Prachand, Apache, Chinook, and transport aircraft like C-17 and C-130J, deploying 277 precision-guided weapons totalling 12,000 kg of explosives across day, dusk, and night missions.

The exercise will be also highlighting integrated Army-Air Force operations, indigenous platforms under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, air defence systems like Akash, SpyDer, drone swarms, and Operation Sindoor-inspired scenarios, proving IAF's "first, fastest, fiercest" combat readiness.

The awaited ‘Prachand’ sortie just a few kilometres away from the India-Pakistan International border will carry  profound strategic, symbolic, and operational importance.
It showcases India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing with initiatives like ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

The Prachand is the world's only high-altitude stealth combat helicopter. It works well in Ladakh and Siachen against the threats from China and Pakistan. The timing near the Pakistan border sends a strong deterrence message across the border.