“Absolutely Stunning”: Assam CM in Prez Flying Fighter Jet

Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that it was absolutely stunning to see President Draupadi Murmu setting out on a sortie in the Sukhoi-30 MKI at Tezpur.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter, saying: “It was absolutely stunning to see the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, our Aadarniya Rashtrapati ji, launch a Sukhoi-30 MKI raid at Tezpur. The importance of this happening so close to the India-China border is not to be missed.

President Droupadi Murmu conducted a sortie of a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jet at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday.

The president, who is the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for about 30 minutes covering Brahmaputra and the Tezpur valley with views of the Himalayas before returning to the Air Force Station, according to a statement from Rastrapati Bhavan.

Later in the guestbook, the chairwoman expressed her sentiments by writing a short note saying, “It was an exciting experience for me to fly in the powerful Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet of the Indian Air Force. It is a a matter of pride that India’s defense capabilities have been immensely expanded to cover all borders of land, air and sea I congratulate the Indian Air Force and all the team at the Air Force Station for organizing this exit”.

During her visit, the President was also briefed on the operational capabilities of the aircraft and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

“She expressed her satisfaction with the IAF’s operational readiness,” the official statement added.

The President’s foray into the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jet is part of her efforts to engage with the armed forces, as Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. In March 2023, the president visited INS Vikrant and interacted with officers and sailors aboard the indigenously built aircraft.