Insight Bureau: The first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, was commissioned on Friday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi. PM Modi Modi was greeted by the Guard of Honor as he arrived in Kerala for the commissioning ceremony of INS Vikrant.
He then unveiled the brand-new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), marking the end of the colonial era. Naval Ensigns are flags flown by naval ships or formations to signifies nationality. The current Indian Naval Ensign is a St. George’s Cross, which is a red cross on a white background. When the nation gained independence, the Indian flag was positioned in one of the cross’s corners, replacing the Union Jack.
The first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier was commissioned on September 2, and something that Modi described as a “landmark day for India’s efforts to become Aatmanirbhar in the defence sector.” The ceremony was attended by a plethora of dignitaries, including Defence Minister Rajnath, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Governor Arif Mohamad Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and top Navy and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) officials.
Vikrant was devised by the Indian Navy’s in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited with cutting-edge automation features. It is equipped with large amount of indigenous equipment and machinery, with involvement from major industrial houses in the country such as BEL, BHEL, GRSE, Keltron, Kirloskar, Larsen & Toubro, Wartsila India, and others, as well as over 100 MSMEs. With the commissioning of Vikrant, India will also have two operational aircraft carriers, which will strengthen the country’s maritime security.
IAC Vikrant has 14 decks and 2,300 compartments that really can carry approximately 1,500 sea warriors. To encounter the ship’s food requirements, around 10,000 chapatis or roti are made in the ship’s galley. With the commissioning of INS Vikrant, India will join a select group of nations that have the capability to design and build an aircraft carrier in-house, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and France.