New Delhi: NirmalaSitharamanhas soared high on a Sukhoi-30 MKI jet, the first Indian woman defence minister to go on a sortie on the all-weather, long-range fighter.

The supersonic jet took off from the Air Force station at Jodhpur, where one of the Sukhoi squadrons is based, at 1 pm, rose to a height of 8000 metres and broke the sound barrier.

After a 45-minute flight on the India Air Force (IAF)’s frontline jet over the Western sector of Rajasthan bordering Pakistan, Sitharaman was back at the Air Force station.

"It was a memorable experience ... and a smooth ride," the 58-year-old minister told reporters later.

Sitharaman had earlier landed at the air station on a bright and sunny day in an IAF aircraft, ready for the sortie by the Jodhpur-based Sukhoi squadron.

After being greeted and welcomed by senior IAF officers and a brief meeting with the air warriors, she donned the fighter pilot s G-suit -- which can withstand high acceleration and sharp manoeuvres, preventing loss of consciousness -- and was then briefed about the plane s operations and functioning.

The minister entered the cockpit and sat on the seat behind the pilot, Group Captain SumitGarg.

She was then familiarised with the supersonic jet, which forms an integral part of the nation s air power.

Looking calm, the country's first woman defence minister waved from inside the cockpit and showed a thumbs up sign as the aircraft moved for the much awaited take off.

Within seconds, the fighter jet was flying high with the country s first full-time woman defence minister on it.

After the 45-minute sortie towards the south-west region, the jet returned to the base, and she thanked the pilot for a wonderful" experience.

"It was a memorable experience," she later said, adding that the "smooth ride" underlined the pilot's expertise.