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 theIndian Air Force's Boeing Business Jets from the Palam air base that day, IAFofficials 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 firstpassenger," officials said.

The three jets, bought from the United States last year at a cost of Rs 734crore, has an additional Rs 200-crore Self Protection Suites for electronicwarfare integrated onto the aircraft to provide greater security from enemymissiles.

SPS include radar warning receivers, missile-approach warning systems andcounter-measure systems. The aircraft would have the capability to shoot metalchaff and flares to deviate radar-guided missiles and heat-seeking missiles offthe track.

India had placed orders for the three customised aircraft, which arederivatives of the latest planes of the Boeing 737 series in October 2005, andthese jets have been built to provide fully secure, comfortable long rides.

For procuring the aircraft, India had to sign a specific End-User MonitoringAgreement (EUMA) with the US, required under American laws.