INS Vikrant seen sailing with four MiG-29K fighters flying over it. (Photo: Indian Navy)
New Delhi: India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, has officially joined the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, the Navy said on Friday. This marks a significant step in enhancing the maritime capabilities of the country, particularly in the Arabian Sea, and is seen as a strategic asset in the Indo-Pacific region.
Alongside the other aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, INS Vikrant is expected to play a major role in strengthening India’s naval presence on its western front, ensuring greater operational readiness for defence and regional stability.
#INSVikrant, India's indigenous aircraft carrier, joined the @IN_WesternFleet, in a significant enhancement to the maritime power and reach of the #IndianNavy’s ‘Sword Arm’. The Carrier Battle Group led by @IN_Vikramaditya inducted @IN_R11Vikrant with a multi domain exercise and… pic.twitter.com/gBdWhk6K7R
— Western Naval Command (@IN_WNC) September 20, 2024
INS Vikrant (R11), the fourth aircraft carrier in the history of the Navy after INS Vikrant (R49), INS Virat (R22), and INS Vikramaditya (R33), was commissioned on September 2, 2022 by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, in Kochi, as India Sentinels had reported. The carrier, named after India’s first aircraft carrier which played a crucial role in the 1971 war with Pakistan in the Liberation War of Bangladesh, is a product of the Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design and Cochin Shipyard Limited.
INS Vikrant is 262 metres long and 62 metres wide, with a displacement of around 45,000 tonnes. This makes it one of the largest ships ever built in India, capable of carrying a mix of 30 aircraft, including fixed-wing fighters like the MiG-29K, as well as helicopters for a variety of missions such as reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue.
Powered by four General Electric gas turbines, INS Vikrant generates over 80MW of power, allowing it to achieve speeds of up to 28 knots (28 nautical miles per hour or around 52 kilometres per hour). It can cover a range of 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 kilometres), giving it a formidable presence over vast maritime areas.
The ship is equipped with state-of-the-art radar, electronic warfare systems, and a combat management system developed by Tata Advanced Systems, marking a milestone in India’s push towards self-reliance in defence technologies.
The carrier’s crew comprises 1,700 sailors, with dedicated cabins for female officers and extensive medical facilities. Its operational capability was showcased earlier this year when INS Vikrant participated in the Milan – 2024 multinational naval exercises.
The induction of INS Vikrant into the Western Fleet is expected to bolster India’s naval strategy, enhance its maritime dominance, and serve as a deterrent in the Indian Ocean. This addition will allow the Navy to perform a range of operations, from power projection to humanitarian missions, thereby significantly enhancing the country’s maritime strength.
