Chief of Navy Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba allayed apprehensions regarding a delay in the commissioning of India's first indigenously made aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, and assured that it would be delivered to the Indian Navy by 2021. INS Vikrant will be inducted as the second aircraft carrier in the service of the Indian Navy after INS Vikramaditya. Once inducted, it's expected to add to the strength of the Indian Navy and bring it at par with the Chinese Navy, which is scheduled to get its second aircraft carrier in 2020.
"IAC Vikrant is undergoing outfitting at Kochi Shipyard Ltd. Harbour acceptance trials are in progress and sea acceptance trial of this will commence in the latter half of this year. The aircraft carrier will be delivered to the Navy by 2021," said Admiral Lanba on Saturday.
The Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report in July last year had raised doubts over the commissioning of the aircraft carrier soon, as it said that INS Vikrant may not be commissioned till 2023. "It is evident from the PERT chart (September 2014) of Cochin Shipyard Ltd that delivery of the carrier with completion of all activities is likely to be achieved only by 2023," the CAG report had pointed out.
But Saturday's announcement by Lanba must come as a big relief for India's maritime security, which was growing uneasy at China's development, especially its self-built carrier, known as CV-17 001A, which is likely to be commissioned in 2020.
India's first aircraft carrier was also called INS Vikrant. It was a majestic class aircraft carrier that was laid down as HMS Hercules for the British Royal Navy during World War II, but its construction was put on hold when the war ended in 1945. India had purchased an incomplete HMS Hercules in 1957 and completed its construction on a war footing in 1961. It was decommissioned in 1997.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "INS Vikrant")
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}