President Droupadi Murmu to Fly in Indigenous LCH Prachand During Rajasthan Visit!

President Droupadi Murmu is set to visit Rajasthan, where she will tour the Jaisalmer Air Force Station on Friday and undertake a sortie in India’s indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) ‘Prachand.’ Following the aerial sortie, the President will witness the Indian Air Force’s large-scale combat exercise ‘Vayu Shakti’ at Pokhran, located near the India–Pakistan border. The visit highlights India’s growing defence capabilities and the operational readiness of the armed forces.

The LCH Prachand, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is India’s first indigenous combat helicopter and was inducted into the Indian Air Force in October 2022. Designed to operate across diverse terrains ranging from deserts to high-altitude mountainous regions, the helicopter can fly above 5,000 metres and is equipped with advanced avionics, stealth features, and night combat capability. President Murmu has previously undertaken sorties in Sukhoi-30 MKI and Rafale fighter jets, becoming the first Indian President to fly in two different combat aircraft. She also travelled aboard the Kalvari-class submarine INS Vaghsheer in December last year.