What Happened
President Droupadi Murmu undertook a sortie in the indigenously designed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand at Air Force Station Jaisalmer, Rajasthan on February 27, 2026. The sortie lasted approximately 25 minutes and was executed in a two-aircraft LCH formation — President Murmu flew in the lead aircraft alongside Group Captain Nayan Shantilal Bahua, while Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh accompanied Group Captain A. Mahendra in the second aircraft.
The mission included a flight over Gadisar Lake and the historic Jaisalmer Fort, culminating in a simulated attack on a specified tank target. The event coincided with Exercise Vayu Shakti — the Indian Air Force's biennial firepower demonstration held in the Jaisalmer region — showcasing the operational combat readiness of the IAF and its indigenous platforms.
With this sortie, President Murmu became the first Indian President to fly in the Prachand, having previously flown in a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet (2023) and a Rafale multirole combat aircraft (2025). The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces.
Static Topic Bridges
1. HAL LCH Prachand — India's Indigenous Light Combat Helicopter
The LCH Prachand is India's first indigenously designed and developed combat helicopter, built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force on October 3, 2022, and officially named "Prachand" (meaning fierce or formidable).
Key technical specifications: - Class: 5.8-tonne multi-role light attack helicopter - Engines: Two HAL/Safran Shakti turboshaft engines (jointly developed with France's Safran) - Maximum speed: 268 km/h; Cruise speed: 260 km/h - High-altitude capability: Can operate above 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) — unique among global attack helicopters - Armament: 20mm nose gun, 70mm rockets, Dhruvastra anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), MBDA Mistral-2 air-to-air missile - Cockpit: Tandem two-seat configuration with stealth characteristics, FLIR camera, CCD camera, and laser designator
Design origin: Development began in the 1990s at the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) / HAL, with DRDO involvement for systems integration. It is designed to operate in high-altitude terrain — including Himalayan conditions — a gap identified after the 1999 Kargil War.
Current indigenization level: 45% by value in the limited series production phase, targeted to exceed 65% in the full production contract.
Procurement order: In March 2025, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved a ₹62,700 crore deal — 66 helicopters for the IAF and 90 helicopters for the Indian Army (total: 156 units). First batch delivery is slated for mid-2028 from HAL's Tumkur facility in Karnataka. Over 250 private vendors are involved in component manufacturing.
2. Exercise Vayu Shakti — IAF's Firepower Demonstration
Exercise Vayu Shakti is the Indian Air Force's periodic live-fire air exercise, typically conducted at the Pokhran-Jaisalmer sector in Rajasthan. It showcases the IAF's air combat and ground-attack capabilities using both imported and indigenously developed platforms.
The exercise is strategically significant as it serves as a public demonstration of the IAF's operational readiness and evaluates new weapons systems under realistic conditions. Past editions have featured platforms including the Rafale, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Su-30 MKI, and indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
3. Indigenisation in Defence — Atmanirbhar Bharat and Defence Self-Reliance
The LCH Prachand is a flagship example of India's Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative in defence manufacturing. Key policy mechanisms:
- Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020: Prioritises indigenous procurement under "Buy Indian" and "Buy & Make Indian" categories
- iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence): Funds startups working on defence technologies
- Positive Indigenisation Lists: The Ministry of Defence has released multiple lists banning import of weapons and platforms, creating a compulsory domestic procurement window for items like light helicopters
- DPSUs: Defence Public Sector Undertakings (HAL, BEL, BEML, MDL, etc.) are the primary production agencies
- Private sector: Tata Advanced Systems, L&T Defence, and SAFRAN-HAL joint ventures are expanding India's defence manufacturing ecosystem
India's defence exports have grown from ₹686 crore in 2013-14 to over ₹21,000 crore in 2023-24, with a target of ₹50,000 crore by 2028-29.
4. Role of the President as Supreme Commander
Under Article 53 of the Constitution of India, the executive power of the Union is vested in the President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces. This is a constitutional provision with important implications:
- All military commissions, appointments, and declarations of war formally require the President's assent
- In practice, executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister (Article 74)
- The President's ceremonial sorties in combat aircraft serve a dual purpose: boosting morale of the armed forces and projecting national pride in indigenous defence capabilities
Key Facts & Data
- LCH Prachand inducted: October 3, 2022 into IAF
- Procurement deal value: ₹62,700 crore (March 2025) for 156 helicopters (66 IAF + 90 Army)
- Indigenization target: 65%+ indigenous content in production series
- Altitude capability: Operable above 5,000 metres — unique globally for attack helicopters
- Sortie duration: ~25 minutes at Air Force Station Jaisalmer, Feb 27, 2026
- Presidential sorties: Sukhoi-30 MKI (2023), Rafale (2025), LCH Prachand (2026)
- Exercise Vayu Shakti: IAF's biennial live-fire combat exercise, Jaisalmer–Pokhran region
- HAL production hub: Tumkur facility, Karnataka
- Private vendor ecosystem: 250+ private vendors involved in LCH component manufacture
- AMR conflict bridge: Prachand carries HELINA missile (helicopter-launched version of DRDO's Nag ATGM), being integrated in Phase II weapons upgrade