The B777 planes have state-of-the-art missile defence systems called Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures and Self-Protection Suites

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday went to Bangladesh on his first foreign trip since the COVID-19 pandemic broke. Modi is on a two-day visit to Bangladesh on the occasion of the 50th Independence Day and centenary celebrations of Sheikh Mujhibur Rehman.

This was the first time PM Modi used the new custom-made VVIP Boeing B777 aircraft, Air India One, on a foreign trip from New Delhi to Dhaka.

PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his arrival.

The B777 aircraft, which has registration number VT-ALW, was delivered by Boeing to the Indian government in October last year.

The aircraft, which has the call sign AI1 or Air India One, departed from Delhi around 8 am and landed at the Dhaka airport around 10.30 am on Friday, government officials said.

Air India One: What is so special about PM Narendra Modi's new VVIP High-Tech aircraft

India has purchased two custom-made planes from the American aircraft giant to fly only the President, Vice President and Prime Minister of the country.

These two aircraft were part of Air India's commercial fleet for a few months in 2018 before they were sent back to Boeing for retrofitting for VVIP travel.

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated Air India One when he boarded the B777 aircraft on its inaugural flight to Chennai in November 2020.

Features of Air India One

The B777 planes have state-of-the-art missile defence systems called Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS).

The state-of-the-art missile defence systems are capable of countering missile threats.

SPS includes large aircraft infrared countermeasures, counter-measures dispensing system and integrated defensive electronic warfare suite.

These protection systems can jam enemy radar frequencies and divert heat-seeking missiles by disturbing their guidance systems.

The aircraft is fuel-efficient and has a longer range than the B747-400 that are deployed for similar VVIP operations.

The aircraft has state-of-art interiors with reduced noise levels.

Both of them will be on par with the US President's Air Force One in terms of security measures.

The two B777 aircraft will be operated by pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and not of Air India.

The total cost of purchase and retrofitting the two planes has been estimated to be around Rs 8,400 crore.

These two aircraft were part of Air India's commercial fleet for a few months in 2018 before they were sent back to Boeing for retrofitting them for VVIP travel.