India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi. It costs 20,000 crores to build 45,000-tonne warship.
According to NDTV, Vikrant is India’s biggest warship, measuring 262 metres long and 62 metres wide. Nearly 1600 crew can accommodate in this warship. It can carry up to 30 aircrafts, including MiG-29K fighter jets and helicopters.
The INS Vikrant is named after its predecessor, which played an important part in the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan during the 1971 war.
Design
“The octagonal design with twin golden borders is inspired by the seal of the great Indian emperor, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose visionary marine approach built a respectable naval fleet,” the navy said in a video introducing the new flag.
Prime Minister Speech
The Prime Minister while delivering a speech stated that INS Vikrant is a mirror of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission. Also added, “Today, India has joined the list of countries capable of making such huge warships on its own. It infused fresh confidence in me.
Furthermore, he said, by adopting the new navy emblem, India had relieved itself of the weight of slavery.
INS Vikrant will begin with MiG fighters and few choppers. The Navy is in the process of buying 26 deck-based aircraft, with certain Boeing and Dassault aircraft being considered.
Over a decade was spent on building the warship. Since August 21 of last year, many phases of INS Vikrant sea testing have been completed. After the navy takes authority, aviation testing will be performed.
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