INS Vikrant, 1st India-Made Aircraft Carrier, Commissioned By PM
In a significant event held today at Cochin Shipyard, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned INS Vikrant, India’s first home-built aircraft carrier. INS Vikrant, which weighs 45,000 tonnes and is 262 metres long and 62 metres wide, is the largest warship ever constructed in India. It is capable of carrying 30 aircraft, including helicopters and MiG-29K fighter jets. The warship has room for around 1,600 crew members.
The Prime Minister stated that INS Vikrant is a mirror of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission while speaking at the event. Vikrant has given me fresh confidence,” he continued. “Today, India has entered the list of nations that can build such massive warships indigenously.The new naval pennant was also unveiled at the event by the prime minister. The national flag is displayed on the upper canton of the new ensign. Overlapping an anchor and the navy’s motto is a blue octagonal form with the national anthem.
The navy explained the new ensign’s octagonal shape and twin golden borders in a video showcasing it. “The octagonal shape with twin golden borders draws inspiration from the seal of the great Indian emperor, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose visionary maritime outlook established a credible naval fleet,” it said.
The Prime Minister claimed that by adopting the new naval ensign, India had lifted a weight associated with slavery.
In the beginning, INS Vikrant will have a few helicopters and MiG aircraft. 26 deck-based aircraft are being purchased by the Navy, which has restricted its options to some Boeing and Dassault models. The warship took more than ten years to build. Since August 21 of last year, the INS Vikrant has successfully completed several phases of sea trials. The navy will take command after the aviation testing have concluded.
India currently only has one aircraft carrier, the Russian-platformed INS Vikramaditya. Three carriers in total have been sought after by the defence forces, one as a spare and one for each of the two main naval fronts in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.
Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright
