India buys 3 business jets for VVIPs

India buys 3 business jets for VVIPs

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - Aug. 6, 2008 : India has taken possession of the first of the three business jets — armed with protection systems against missiles — from American aviation giant Boeing that will transport VVIPs in the country, including the President and the Prime Minister. The deal, worth Rs 937 crores, was inked in October 2005. The other two aircraft are expected within a couple of months. The aircraft are equipped with advanced radar warning receivers that can detect missiles as well as counter-measure dispenser systems that are meant to shake off and deceive missiles. The three jets will be part of the Indian Air Force’s VVIP communication squadron and will provide protection to VVIPs in the country on the scale of the United States’ Air Force One aircraft that transports the US President. The jets come with encrypted satellite communication systems and advanced navigation aids to enable VVIPs like the Prime Minister on board to be in constant touch with authorities on the ground in complete secrecy. Meanwhile, vendors in the race to bag the contract for 126 multi-role medium aircraft for the Indian Air Force submitted their response to the offset requirements in the deal on Monday. India had, last year, hiked the "offset" amount from the usual 30 per cent to 50 per cent for the Rs 42,000-crore proposed deal for 126 combat aircraft. The "offset policy" of the government in the 126-aircraft deal makes it mandatory for foreign companies to invest at least 50 per cent of the deal-amount in India. European consortium EADS and American military aviation companies Boeing and Lockheed Martin confirmed on Monday that they had submitted their responses to the offset requirements in the deal.