INS Vikrant: Important facts and Historical Significance

INS Vikrant, India’s first home-built aircraft carrier  was officially commissioned by PM Narendra Modi after nearly a year of sea trials. The 45,000-ton warship was constructed for 20,000 crore rupees. The largest warship ever constructed in India, the INS Vikrant is 262 metres long and 62 metres broad. India now only possesses one aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya, which is based on a Russian basis. The defence forces are looking for a total of three carriers, one for reserve purposes and one for each of the two main naval fronts in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

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INS Vikrant: Important facts you should know

• It is capable of carrying 30 aircraft, including helicopters and MiG-29K fighter jets. The warship has room for around 1,600 crew members.
• 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 once the aviation trials 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.

INS Vikrant: Historical Significance

• The forerunner to INS Vikrant, which was instrumental in the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971, has the name.
• With the construction of INS Vikrant, India has joined a narrow group of countries that can design and construct their own aircraft carriers, including the US, UK, Russia, China, and France.
• The new vessel 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.
• One aircraft carrier, ten destroyers, twelve frigates, and twenty corvettes make up India’s current navy.

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