Lagatar24 Desk
Hyderabad: President Droupadi Murmu’s historic Rafale sortie from Ambala on Wednesday delivered a symbolic blow to Pakistani disinformation, as she stood beside Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh — the very officer Pakistan had falsely claimed to have captured during Operation Sindoor.
Rafale Pilot at Centre of False Capture Claims
Shivangi Singh, part of the IAF’s Golden Arrows Squadron, had flown Rafale jets during India’s Operation Sindoor — a strategic airstrike targeting terror camps in Pakistan and POK earlier this year. Following the operation, Pakistani social media falsely claimed she had been shot down and captured. A manipulated video even showed India’s Air Chief allegedly confirming her disappearance — later debunked by PIB Fact Check as fabricated and baseless.
A Symbol of India’s Evolving Air Power
The 29-year-old officer from Varanasi joined the IAF in 2017 as part of the second batch of women fighter pilots. Before transitioning to the advanced Rafale platform in 2020, she flew the MiG-21 Bison — one of the oldest fighter aircraft in service. Shivangi’s journey represents a generational leap in India’s aerial combat capabilities.
She was recently awarded the Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) badge on October 9, 2025, by Air Marshal Tejbir Singh at the Flying Instructors School, Tambaram.
President Murmu’s Historic Sortie
President Murmu became the first Indian President to fly in both a Rafale and a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet. Her 30-minute Rafale sortie from Ambala Air Base was accompanied by another jet piloted by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.
In her note after the flight, she described the experience as “unforgettable” and expressed pride in India’s air defence strength. “This first flight on the potent Rafale aircraft has instilled in me a renewed sense of pride in the nation’s defence capabilities,” she wrote.
