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{{short description|Call sign of the aircraft carrying the Prime Minister or the President of India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = India One
| logo = Air India One Livery.png
| logo_size = 270px
| image = Air India One Chennai.png
| image_caption = (Above) Livery of India One, (Below) An India One [[Boeing 777-300ER]] (K7066)
| aircraft_type = [[Air transports of heads of state and government]]
| owners = [[Government of India]]
| primary_user = {{ubl|[[President of India]]|[[Prime Minister of India]]}}
| more_users = {{ubl|[[Vice President of India]]}}
| number_built = 2
| in_service = October 2020
}}
'''India One''' (formerly Air India One; also referred to as '''AI1''', '''AIC1''' or '''INDIA 1''')<ref name="ie2010">{{cite news |last1=Nayyar |first1=Dhiraj |title=Air India One, Seat No 59G |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/air-india-one-seat-no-59g/ |access-date=7 April 2021 |work=The Indian Express |date=26 September 2010 |language=en}}</ref> is the [[air traffic control]] [[call sign]] of any Special Extra Section Flight (SESF) operated by the [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF) for the [[President of India|President]], the [[Vice President of India|Vice-President]] or the [[Prime Minister of India]].

The [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] and the [[Air HQ Communication Squadron, Indian Air Force|AHQCS]], based at the [[Palam Air Force Station]], [[Delhi Cantonment|Delhi Cantt]], [[New Delhi]], [[India]] are responsible for coordinating and carrying out the missions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AirHQ Communications Squadron, Indian Air Force - Database|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Units/AHQ%20Comm%20Sqn|access-date=25 September 2021|website=Bharat Rakshak|language=en-gb}}</ref>

==History==
Previously, [[Air India One]] was one of two dual-use civilian [[Air India]] [[Boeing 747-400|Boeing 747-400s]].

In 2016, two [[Boeing 777-300ER|Boeing 777-300ERs]] were purchased as SESF (VVIP transport).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Raj|first=Ashoke|date=14 August 2020|title=Contingents of Air India, IAF, govt officials and security personnel leave for US to collect VVIP aircraft 'Air India One'|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/contingents-of-air-india-iaf-govt-officials-and-security-personnel-leave-for-us-to-collect-vvip-aircraft-air-india-one20200814180112/|access-date=25 September 2021|work=ANI News}}</ref> The new aircraft, with specially designed liveries, entered service in October 2020, replacing the Boeing 747-400s operated for the missions by [[Air India]]. Unlike the 747s which were [[commercial aircraft]], the newly inducted aircraft are military vessels formally owned and operated by the [[Indian Air Force]]. They bear no [[Air India]] markings and have no commercial dual-use. However, under a special contract, they will be maintained by Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), which has experience maintaining the Boeing 777 series aircraft for Air India's commercial fleet.

The aircraft are fitted with encrypted satellite communication facilities and advanced [[navigation aid]]s, an advanced [[missile warning system]], a missile deflecting shield and [[electronic countermeasures]] so as to provide protection from any ground-based or airborne threats and flares and glares for misleading the missile. They are capable of long-range travel removing the need for [[Aerial refueling|air-to-air refuelling]] (which is a feature on the [[VC-25A]]s though they have not been used at all in their service) . The 777-300ERs’ onboard electronics include about 238 miles of wiring (twice the amount found in a normal 777). The heavy shielding is crucial to protect the wiring and crucial electronics from the [[electromagnetic pulse]] associated with a nuclear blast.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Know about Air India One! (Air India 1 – AI 1)|url=https://aviationthrust.com/know-about-air-india-one-air-india-1-ai-1/|access-date=19 November 2015|website=Aviation Thrust|archive-date=13 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813025957/https://aviationthrust.com/know-about-air-india-one-air-india-1-ai-1/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 February 2019 |title=$190 mn missile shield for Air India One |url=https://www.manoramayearbook.in/current-affairs/india/2019/02/08/air-india-missile-defence.html |access-date=8 August 2025 |website=www.manoramayearbook.in |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Air India One 737.jpg|thumb|An [[Indian Air Force]] BBJ 737, which was used as Air India One for domestic and short-distance travels before Boeing 777-300ER (India One)]]
At a Boeing facility in [[Fort Worth]], Texas, two ex- Air India aircraft (VT-ALV and VT-ALW, now registered as K7066 and K7067 respectively) were specially outfitted with missile defence and countermeasures dispensing systems, including large aircraft infrared countermeasures [[Common Infrared Countermeasures program#Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM)|(LAIRCM)]] self-protection suites (SPS).

On India One flights, the President is designated as ''VIP-1'', the Vice-President as ''VIP-2'', and the Prime Minister as ''VIP-3''. The BBJs have a four class configuration. For VIPs 1, 2 and 3, an executive enclosure in the aircraft includes an office and a bedroom. All other passengers aboard India One are required to wear colour-coded identity cards at all times. Members of the official delegation (at the rank of [[Joint Secretary to the Government of India]] and above) are tagged in purple and sit in first class. Personnel of the [[Special Protection Group]] are also tagged in purple to provide proximate security to the Prime Minister, and may carry close combat weapons for the duration of flights. Accompanying officials (passengers of rank below Joint Secretary) are tagged in pink, and sit in business class equivalent seats. Support staff, including cooks and butlers, and other security personnel (not including the [[Special Protection Group]]) are tagged in red, while journalists in the press pool are tagged in yellow. Both red and yellow-tagged passengers sit in economy class equivalent seats.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nayyar |first1=Dhiraj |title=Air India One, Seat No 59G - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/air-india-one-seat-no-59g/687970/0 |access-date=4 October 2020 |work=Indian Express |date=26 September 2010}}</ref>

While [[Union Council of Ministers|Union ministers]] and senior staff officers of the Indian Armed Forces may use smaller aircraft for official travel, the 777-300ERs are exclusively used by the President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister of India.<ref name="th2009">{{cite news|date=1 April 2009|title=India's own Air Force One takes to the skies|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200904011612.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=9 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926214104/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200904011612.htm|archive-date=26 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="tfe2005">{{cite news|date=21 September 2005|title=VVIPs get their special jets|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/vvips-get-their-special-jets/146415/1|work=Financial Express|access-date=8 April 2011}}</ref> Additional [[Indian Air Force]] VIP Aircraft such as the [[Boeing 737 Next Generation|B737 BBJ]] and [[Embraer ERJ family|ERJ-135]] are also used by many government dignitaries (including the Prime Minister) for domestic and international medium-haul travel.

== List of other VIP aircraft used by the Government of India ==
The [[Indian Air Force]] has a fleet of six [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737s]] (Business Boeing Jets (BBJ)). Three named and three unnamed for Domestic and International travel of VIPs.

* K5012 : 36106 - Rajdoot
* K5013 : 36107 - Rajhans
* K5014 : 36108 - Rajkamal
* K2412 : MSN 23036
* K2413 : MSN 23037
* K3187 : MSN 20483

Rajdoot is used by the Prime Minister and the other two Rajkamal and Rajhans are used by the President and the Vice-President respectively. {{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

For visiting military areas or places with no aeroplane landing facilities, IAF's [[Mil Mi-17]] are used. A proposal to purchase [[AgustaWestland AW101|AugustaWestland AW101]] as executive helicopters was [[2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal|cancelled in 2013]] following bribery and corruption charges against [[Leonardo (company)|Finmeccanica.]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harikumar |first=A. |date=25 March 2013 |title=Bribes were taken in the VVIP helicopter deal, admits AK Antony |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/chopper-scam-helcopter-deal-was-tainted-admits-ak-antony-156967-2013-03-24 |access-date=19 October 2025 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2 January 2014 |title=Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal with AgustaWestland scrapped in view of bribery allegations |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/rs-3600-crore-vvip-chopper-deal-with-agustawestland-scrapped-in-view-of-bribery-allegations/articleshow/28238060.cms |access-date=19 October 2025 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref>

Other than these, IAF has four VIP [[Embraer Legacy 600]] that are used by the Home, the Finance, the Defence and the External Affairs ministers of India respectively. {{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

* Meghdoot (K601) - [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of Home Affairs]] {{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}
* Vayudoot (K602) - [[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Minister of External Affairs]] {{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}
* Nabhdoot (K603) - [[Minister of Finance (India)|Minister of Finance]] {{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}
* Gagandoot (K604) - [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]] {{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

The rest of [[Union Council of Ministers|cabinet ministers]], [[speaker of the Lok Sabha]], deputy ministers ''(junior and [[ministers of state]]'') travel in Air India Business class. It is the same for high ranking bureaucrats and Supreme Court judges.

== See also ==
*[[Air Headquarters Communication Squadron]]
*[[Air transports of heads of state and government]]

==References==
{{commons category}}
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Presidential aircraft]]
[[Category:Air transport of heads of state]]
[[Category:Call signs]]
[[Category:Boeing 747]]
[[Category:Boeing 777]]

Air India One - Revision history

WilliamsLin216 at 12:50, 1 February 2026