Guwahati: Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi hosted the commissioning of the nation’s first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
On this occasion, he erased the colonial past by unveiling the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan). Naval ensigns are flags flown by naval ships or formations to designate nations.
The current Indian Naval Ensign is the St. George’s Cross, which has a red cross on a white backdrop.
The Indian flag took the place of the Union Jack in the cross’s corner after India attained independence.
When INS Vikrant was first launched, PM Modi referred to it as a “landmark day for India’s ambitions to become Aatmanirbhar in the defence sector.”
Modi stated, “Every Indian is now observing the dawn of a new future here on the Keralan shore. This celebration on board the INS Vikrant is a homage to India’s rising stature around the globe.
“Vikrant is enormous and unique. Vikrant is more than just a battleship. This is proof of India’s dedication, talent, impact, and hard work in the twenty-first century, he added.
The nation’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, was commended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who said it is a stunning representation of an aspiring and independent India at the Cochin Shipyard.
The commissioning of INS Vikrant, according to Rajnath Singh, “confirms that our effort for ‘Self-reliant India’ is not an isolated strategy. Under the direction of the Prime Minister, India is undergoing a significant transformational transition.
“It is a symbol of India’s pride, strength, and tenacity. In terms of indigenous warship development, its commissioning is an exceptional accomplishment, he continued.
The largest ship ever built in India’s maritime history, Vikrant was designed by the Indian Navy’s internal Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is named for her esteemed predecessor, India’s first aircraft carrier, which was instrumental in the war of 1971.
It includes important national industrial companies as well as more than 100 MSMEs, and it contains a significant amount of locally produced gear and equipment. India will have two operational aircraft carriers after Vikrant is commissioned, which would improve the country’s maritime security.
The INS Vikrant has 14 decks and 2,300 compartments. It can accommodate about 1,500 seafarers, and its cook, known as the ship’s galley, produces about 10,000 chapatis or rotis daily to meet food needs.
It is capable of carrying 30 aircraft, including helicopters and MiG-29K fighter jets.
The 45,000-tonne warship has been built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore.