President flies LCH Prachand as co-pilot, shares experience with nation from Cockpit

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday flew the indigenous light combat helicopter (LCH) Prachand as a co-pilot. She aired a message to the nation from the cockpit, expressing her elation about flying in a “Made in India” fighter chopper that symbolises the new strides in the arena of aeronautics by the self reliant India.

The LCH took off at around 10:15 am from the Jaisalmer Indian Air Force (IAF) station with the proud Group Captain NS Bahuwa flying the Supreme Commander Commander of the Armed Forces in the historic sortie that lasted for around 25 minute.

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While flying over the historic Jaisalmer fort, the President shared a message on radio saying, “I am today flying in the indigenous Prachand combat helicopter which is a strong symbol of (India’s) self reliance (Aatmanirbharta).”

In the sortie, she conducted an aerial survey of the Pokhran field firing range that is in the close vicinity of the India Pakistan international border.

Murmu is the first president of India who took sortie in this combat chopper. She earlier had also flown in the Sukhoi Su-30 and Rafael combat planes.