The government-owned Indian Airlines has acquired a new corporate identity and a new name as well.

It will now be called ''Indian.' The word 'Airlines' has been dropped and will hopefully shed its somewhat stodgy image.

Passengers will be greeted by a transformed attitude which will reflect its new ethos.

As its mint-fresh leased Airbus A319 arrived from Hamburg today, IA changed its name, motif and colours to be more contemporary.

The standard livery will be altered next year to enhance the look and feel of aircraft interiors. And the uniforms too will be different.

The rebranding, arrival of new planes on lease and acquisition of 43 new aircraft are all timed for initial public offering of partial stock sale early next year.

"Indian is the backbone of Indian aviation and bracing up for increasing competition," said Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel. -- UNI

(Above) Indian Airlines' -- now renamed Indian -- new Airbus A-319 arrives at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Wednesday. IA plans to buy 43 aircraft, including A-319s, A-320s and A-321s from the European major Airbus Industries.

Photograph: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images