The era of the country's VVIPs flying in style will dawn on April 1.
President Pratibha Patil will do the honours first by taking a ride on the Indian Air Force's Boeing Business Jets from the Palam air base that day, IAF officials said in New Delhi.
"The inaugural flight of the VVIP jets on April 1 will have the President, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces, as its first passenger," officials said.
The three jets, bought from the United States last year at a cost of Rs 734 crore, has an additional Rs 200-crore Self Protection Suites for electronic warfare integrated onto the aircraft to provide greater security from enemy missiles.
SPS include radar warning receivers, missile-approach warning systems and counter-measure systems. The aircraft would have the capability to shoot metal chaff and flares to deviate radar-guided missiles and heat-seeking missiles off the track.
India had placed orders for the three customised aircraft, which are derivatives of the latest planes of the Boeing 737 series in October 2005, and these jets have been built to provide fully secure, comfortable long rides.
For procuring the aircraft, India had to sign a specific End-User Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) with the US, required under American laws.
