Droupadi Murmu, the President of India and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, is set to engage in a significant military sortie on Friday morning. As part of her official visit to Rajasthan, she will pilot the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) HAL Prachand at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station. The President is scheduled to arrive in Jaisalmer on Thursday evening, where she will be welcomed by local dignitaries Haribhau Bagade and Bhajanlal Sharma.
The LCH Prachand, created by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, stands out as India’s first indigenous combat helicopter. Designed to operate in varied terrains, including arid deserts and high-altitude regions, the helicopter is capable of functioning at altitudes over 5,000 meters, making it ideal for deployment in the country’s mountainous areas. It boasts advanced avionics, stealth capabilities, and night-attack functionality, along with an arsenal that includes air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles, rockets, and a 20 mm gun. This sophisticated equipment significantly enhances India’s military capabilities.
In the evening, President Murmu will attend the Indian Air Force’s impressive firepower demonstration, Vayu Shakti, taking place at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, which is located near the India-Pakistan border. This event is anticipated to reveal a synchronized display of operations, transitioning from daylight into dusk and night, in a near-realistic combat environment. The demonstration will feature frontline fighter jets, transport aircraft, helicopters, and air defense systems.
This sortie in the LCH adds to the President’s track record of involvement with frontline military platforms. Earlier this year, she flew in a Sukhoi-30 MKI at Tezpur, and in 2025, she became the first Indian President to undertake a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet at Ambala.
The visit serves as a testament to India’s growing confidence in its indigenous defense capabilities, showcasing the increasing importance of domestically produced platforms in enhancing the nation’s military preparedness.
