India’s President Droupadi Murmu made history on Wednesday by undertaking a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana. With this flight, she became the first Indian President to fly in the advanced Rafale aircraft. The Rafale jet had been used in ‘Operation Sindoor.’
President Droupadi Murmu was accompanied by Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh.
Various Pakistani media outlets had previously alleged that Shivangi was captured by their armed forces, claiming she was a prisoner of war and that her fighter jet was shot down during ‘Operation Sindoor.’
However, by posing for a photograph with President Murmu at the Ambala airbase this morning, Varanasi-born Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh categorically rejected Pakistan’s claims.
The picture shows Shivangi, in full flying gear, standing next to Droupadi Murmu in front of the Rafale jet.
‘Operation Sindoor’ was launched by India following a terrorist attack by the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the death of 26 people last May.
Pakistan had claimed at the time that they had shot down six Indian fighter jets, including a newly purchased French Rafale. None of these claims were proven true.
The Indian military and government provided detailed evidence showing that Pakistan failed to shoot down any Indian aircraft; instead, they had lost six of their own fighter jets.
Another Pakistani claim was that Shivangi Singh’s Rafale jet was downed by Pakistan and that she had been captured. They even released a video allegedly showing the grieving family meeting the Chief of the Indian Air Force.
Later investigation revealed that the video did not feature Shivangi’s family, but the family of Sergeant Surendra Kumar, who was martyred during ‘Operation Sindoor.’
The Indian Air Force has confirmed that Shivangi Singh, the first female fighter pilot to fly the Rafale, is perfectly healthy and performing her regular duties.
