IAF’s ‘one-frame’ response to Pak: President Murmu and Shivangi Singh debunk capture claim

The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” was proven right when the Indian Air Force, with a single photograph, delivered a statement stronger than any word – President Droupadi Murmu standing beside Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh in Ambala. The lone picture shattered Islamabad’s fabricated claims of the pilot’s capture during Operation Sindoor.

The picture was taken moments after Murmu took a sortie in a Rafale aircraft at Air Force Station, Ambala (Haryana) on Wednesday. The officer, who recently made history by becoming the first Indian woman fighter pilot to receive the prestigious Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) badge, assisted the President during the pre-and post-flight operations.

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The Squadron Leader shot into limelight way back in 2020 when she was shortlisted for flying Rafale. Earlier, she was flying MiG-21 Bison aircraft. Hailing from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Singh got commissioned in the Indian Air Force in 2017 as part of IAF’s second batch of women fighter pilots. Following an intrusive process, she was shortlisted as a Rafale pilot in 2020.

During Operation Sindoor, various rumours suggesting that India had lost several fighter jets, including a Rafale were circulated. Some reports even alleged that Singh, India’s first and only female Rafale pilot, had been captured near Sialkot after ejecting from her aircraft purportedly shot down. Soon after a fake video claiming that IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, visited the home of the IAF pilot went viral on social media.

Later, the chatter on social media handles gained momentum regarding her “alleged disappearance. However, it was debunked by the government which claimed that Singh was not captured by Pakistan.

Days later, another Pakistani propaganda account named “Ousai2002” tried to create controversy by claiming that the Indian Air Force had shared a digitally altered image of the officer while receiving the QFI badge.

After completing an intensive six-month training programme at the Indian Air Force’s Flying Instructors School in Tambaram, Tamil Nadu, Singh earned the coveted Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) badge during a felicitation ceremony organised on October 9. The officer was conferred the award by Air Marshal Tejbir Singh, Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the IAF’s Training Command.

The IAF shared the first photograph of the officer with a post on X: “The valedictory ceremony for the 159th #QFIC was held at FIS AFS Tambaram on 09 Oct 25. Air Mshl Tejbir Singh, SASO TC IAF, was the Chief Guest. A total of 59 officers from the IAF, sister services, and friendly foreign nations were awarded the prestigious ‘#QualifiedFlyingInstructor’ badge.”

The images showed Singh receiving the honour and later posing for a group photograph with fellow officers.