Kiren Rijiju will fly in a Sukhoi Su-30 for a 30 minute sortie.
Highlights
- Kiren Rijiju will be one of the youngest ministers to fly in a Sukhoi
- Aim is to familiarize minister with what IAF does: Air Force commander
- Mr Rijiju will fly in a Sukhoi Su-30 for nearly 30 minutes
At the crack of dawn on Wednesday, one of the youngest ministers in the Modi Cabinet, Kiren Rijiju, will join the exclusive club - that of Presidents and ministers who have flown in an Indian Air Force or IAF fighter.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, 44, will fly out of the forward air base Halwara in Punjab in a Russian made Sukhoi Su-30 for a 30 minute sortie. He is likely fly over Jammu and Kashmir during the sortie.
President APJ Abdul Kalam, President Prathiba Patil, former Defence Minister George Fernandez are some people who have flown in IAF fighter. Kiren Rijiju is, perhaps, the first minister without a direct connection to defence who will fly in a fighter jet of the IAF.
Kiren Rijiju will fly over Jammu and Kashmir during the sortie.
Earlier this month, Air Chief Air Marshal Arup Raha had written to Mr Rijiju requesting him fly the supersonic jet.
"Our main aim is to familiarize the minister on what the Indian Air Force does," a top IAF commander told NDTV.
On Tuesday,
Air Chief Air Marshal Arup Raha flew the Indian-made fighter Tejas. The first squadron of Tejas will be raised this July.