The US government has given security clearance to India 's Jet Airways, India 's largest private airline enabling it to launch flights to America .

The clearance was formally granted to Jet by the department of transportation after the US govt said the airline had passed security, sources said.< p>

Jet has planed to launch operations to the US a year ago, but it went through rough weather after an American company of the same name alleged that the Indian carrier had links with terrorist masterminds like Dawood Ibrahim and outfits like Al Qaeda.

It is understood that the US authorities have informed the airline about the clearance granted to it.

Following allegations by US-based Jet Airways Inc about the Indian carrier's underworld links, the department of transportation had sought information from the Indian government. The union home ministry had, last year, given clearance after a fresh inquiry.

The airline had then planned to launch flights to New York via Brussels, which did not happen.

Jet Airways has now sought civil aviation ministry clearance to operate to New York and San Francisco from the summer of 2007.

It has also sought permission to fly to Toronto via Hong Kong and Dusseldorf from next year besides China . Other destinations it plans to fly to in the near future are South Africa , Kenya, Mauritius, Rome, Zurich, Munich and Frankfurt.

Last year, Jet signed purchase agreements worth $2.5 billion with aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing for ten A 330-200s and ten B 777-300 ERs. Their deliveries are expected to start from the first quarter of next year.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel himself had been annoyed at the delay in security clearance to Jet, but had said that all required procedures have to be followed before the airline was granted permission to operate to the US .