 On 21 February 1960 , Air India International inducted its first Boeing 707 – 420 named Gauri Shankar ( registered VT @-@ DJJ ) , thereby becoming the first Asian airline to induct a jet aircraft in its fleet . The airline inaugurated services to New York on 14 May 1960 . On 8 June 1962 , the airline 's name was officially truncated to Air India and on 11 June 1962 , Air India became the world 's first all @-@ jet airline . In 1971 , the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747 @-@ 200B named Emperor Ashoka ( registered VT @-@ EBD ) and introduced a new Palace in the Sky livery and branding . In 1986 , Air India took delivery of its first Airbus A310 @-@ 300 . In 1993 , Air India took delivery of a Boeing 747 @-@ 400 named Konark ( registered VT @-@ ESM ) and operated the first non @-@ stop flight between New York and Delhi . 
