'Very proud and thankful': Nirmala Sitharaman undertakes sortie in Sukhoi 30 MKI

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday took off in the Indian Air Force's (IAF) frontline combat jet Sukhoi 30 MKI from Jodhpur airbase in Rajasthan.

The Sukhoi 30 MKI is a twin-engine fighter aircraft and has a two-seat cockpit. 

The country's first woman defence minister sat in the rear seat behind the pilot and was wearing the pilot s G-suit.

"Very proud and thankful that have gone through this experience because it actually tells me with what rigor, practice, what level of readiness and how quickly they (defence personnel) have to respond to situations. It was eye-opening and memorable," said Sitharaman.

Before take-off on the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet #RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi pic.twitter.com/yLf2T7xnL8

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) January 17, 2018

Smt @nsitharaman takes off on the Su-30 MKI #RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi pic.twitter.com/xC51hjeCSa

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) January 17, 2018

Smt @nsitharaman meets the Air Warriors at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur before her sortie on the Sukhoi-30 MKI #RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi pic.twitter.com/qLoACwv2dw

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) January 17, 2018

Sitharaman earlier visited INS Vikramaditya last week for witnessing the naval operations and maritime prowess of the Indian Navy.

Former Defence Minister George Fernandes, former President Pratibha Patil, Abdul Kalam and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, Kiren Rijiju, have also flown in the Sukhoi aircraft.

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam had also flown a 30-minute sortie in a Su-30MKI from Lohegaon Air Force station which made him the oldest Indian to fly a fighter jet.