President A P J Abdul Kalam, supreme commander of the armed forces, in the Sukhoi-30 MKI, Indian Air Force's state-of-the-art supersonic fighter aircraft.

On Thursday, the President undertook a historic 40-minute sortie in the aircraft, taking off from Lohegaon airbase in Pune at 10.25 am.

Kalam is the first Indian President to fly in the all-weather, air-dominance supersonic fighter aircraft.

"After flying this sortie, I now realise that India is in safe hands, our borders are safe. We have such good pilots, and good defence personnel," President Kalam said.

Photograph: Rajesh Karkera