The technical area at Delhi airport, which is normally used for formal occasions such as welcoming visiting heads of states or Governments, was on Wednesday reverberating with the sound of drums and bhangra dancers wearing colourful clothes.

The occasion was the welcome ceremony for the arrival of the first of the 68 aircraft that Air India is purchasing from the US-based aircraft manufacturer, Boeing.

The red carpet was laid out, the shamiana was in place, and the engines of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft that had flown all the way from Seattle was running. At the appointed time, the silver grey Honda car of the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, drove up and walked up the steps of the aircraft with the US Ambassador, Mr David Mulford; the Air India Chairman, Mr V. Thulasidas, and other senior officials, stopping only to wave for the hordes of photographers on hand to capture the moment for posterity.

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