President Droupadi Murmu to fly indigenous ALH, witness IAF’s Vayu Shakti-2026 in Jaisalmer

JAISALMER: The Indian Air Force conducted a full dress rehearsal on Tuesday, under the main event Vayu Shakti 2026, which is scheduled to be held on 27 February in the Chandhan area of the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan.

During the rehearsal, fighter aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force, manufactured in India under the Make in India initiative, demonstrated their firepower capabilities. Using indigenously developed ammunition, missiles, and other equipment, they accurately targeted simulated enemy positions, showcasing their striking power in this firepower demonstration.




This will be the first time the President flies in an indigenous combat helicopter, highlighting India’s growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The sortie is scheduled on February27th morning hoursfrom the strategically significant Jaisalmer Air Base, one of the key operational bases safeguarding India’s western airspace.

The event is especially notable as the President has previously flown in frontline fighter aircraft, including the French-origin Dassault Rafale from Ambala and the Sukhoi Su-30MKI from Tezpur Air Force Station on April 8, 2023. On those occasions, she praised the professionalism, discipline, and operational excellence of IAF pilots after experiencing the aircraft’s combat capabilities firsthand.

The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), developed in India, represents a major milestone in indigenous aerospace capability and operational versatility. The President’s sortie is being seen as a moment of pride for the Indian Air Force and a strong endorsement of the country’s push for indigenisation under national defence priorities.

Following the morning sortie, President Murmu will visit the Pokhran Field Firing Range in the Chandhan area of Jaisalmer district to witness the Indian Air Force’s largest-ever air firepower demonstration, “Vayu Shakti-2026,” as the Chief Guest.

The mega day-and-night exercise at the Pokhran ranges will showcase the IAF’s precision strike capability, network-centric warfare systems, and integrated combat power. The demonstration aims to reaffirm India’s air dominance and operational preparedness in a realistic battlefield environment.

February 27 is set to be a landmark day for Jaisalmer and the Indian Air Force, combining indigenous technological achievement with a spectacular display of air power before the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.