India likely to get custom-made planes for VVIP travel by Sept

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 8

Two custom-made Boeing-777 VVIP aircraft, which will be used to fly Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top Indian dignitaries, including the President and Vice-President, are likely to be delivered by September.

The aircrafts were scheduled to arrive during July this year, but got delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The two aircraft (Boeing 777-300ER) would replace the nearly 25-year-old Boeing 747 used by Air India to ferry the VVIPs, including the Prime Minister.

The two B777 aircraft will be operated by pilots of the Indian Air Force and not of Air India. However, the new wide-body planes will be maintained by the Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), which is a subsidiary of the Air India, the officials said.

Earlier, the government had approved Rs 4,469.50 crore for purchase of two B777-300ER aircraft for Special Extra Section Flight (SESF) operations.

This was selected for SESF operations for the government after consultation with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Special Protection Group, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force and the Ministry of Home Affairs and it was decided the aircraft would be inducted with some changes in its interior.

These aircrafts have to be delivered from the US where it was sent for military-grade upgrade and customisation, sources in the government said.