INS Vikrant: With the construction of “Vikrant,” India has joined a narrow group of countries that have the specialised competence to design and build an aircraft carrier domestically, including the US, the UK, Russia, China, and France.
The first aircraft carrier in India to be planned and built domestically, the INS Vikrant, was commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, joining a narrow group of nations with the domestic capacity to produce such massive warships. At a celebration held at Kochi’s Cochin Shipyard Limited, the Prime Minister dedicated the Rs 20,000 crore carrier. India joins a small group of countries with the specialised capacity to design and construct an aircraft carrier domestically with the commissioning of Vikrant. To commemorate the addition of INS Vikrant to the Navy—named after its predecessor, which was pivotal in the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict—PM Modi erected a plaque. Modern features are available on the carrier. PM also spoke at the occasion.
With the commissioning of Vikrant, India became one of a few number of countries with the specialised capacity to design and construct an aircraft carrier domestically. To commemorate the addition of INS Vikrant to the Navy, which was given the name of its predecessor who was instrumental in the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict, PM Modi erected a plaque. Modern features are included with the carrier. PM also revealed the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan) at the event, erasing the colonial legacy. The brand-new symbol honours India’s long maritime history.
Top 10 points from today’s Historic Moment:
- The largest warship ever constructed in India, the INS Vikrant is 262 metres long and 62 metres broad. 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. “India has now joined the group of nations capable of producing such sizable warships domestically. New confidence has been infused by Vikrant “he added.
- 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.
- The forerunner to INS Vikrant, which was instrumental in the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971, has the name.
- The new warship is seen by the Indian Navy as a crucial upgrade to its equipment. India can now increase its maritime presence by deploying an aircraft carrier along both its eastern and western coasts.
(Source: Agency)
Prasanta Patnaik