Indian Navy ranks among the top 10 strongest navies in the world. What makes the Indian Navy so powerful ? It is their weapons, warships, destroyers, frigates, Submarines, Aircraft carriers and above all its sailors and officers whose efforts keep us safe while we sleep. On 2, September 2022 Indian Navy commissioned a new Aircraft carrier named INS Vikrant also known as Indigenously-built Aircraft carrier one (IAC - 1). So, let us take a look at the disastrous champion. But hold on, the Indian Navy on the same date also introduced a new ensign of Indian Navy inspired by a visionary Indian king the 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj' who built a strong naval fleet.

New Ensign of Indian Navy 

   The First Aircraft carrier of India was commissioned in 1961  named INS Vikrant and was brought from the UK. INS Vikrant (1961) played important role in Indian war history. It played a major role in the war of 1971 against Pakistan. It was decommissioned in 1997 after serving the nation with pride.


   The second Aircraft carrier of India is INS Vikramaditya. In its early years, it served Soviet Navy and later the Russian Navy before being logged off in 1996. Later India negotiated for years to get Baku (INS Vikramaditya's name when it served Russia) and finally on 20, January 2004 at 2.35 billion dollars, Baku got welcomed in India with a new name 'INS Vikramaditya', based on the name of an Indian King. After modifications and transformation carrier completed sea trials in July 2013 and 1st STOBAR aviation trial in September 2013. The journey was long but Vikramaditya find his way into the Indian Navy and was commissioned on November 2013 at a ceremony held in Russia and in June 2014 the Prime Minister of India installed INS Vikramaditya in the Indian Navy and dedicated him to the Nation.

   We have just passed through the term 'STOBAR'. Let's define it. Its ff is "short take-off but arrested recovery" where B can also stand for a barrier. It is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier, combining elements of "short take-off and vertical landing" (STOVL) with "catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery" (CATOBAR).

New INS Vikrant 

   We have completed an overview of 2 Aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy. Now, let's talk about newly installed IAC-1 or INS Vikrant.  India has earned a great achievement not just by adding one more Aircraft carrier but also by making it Indigenously. The rising power of China at sea was a big concern for India until she got IAC-1. It is a great step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

   On 2, September 2022, India commissioned its first Indigenously-built Aircraft carrier at a ceremony held at Cochin shipyard limited, Kochi, Kerala by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The name was given to this carrier a Vikrant as a tribute to our 1st Aircraft carrier. The cost of making IAC-1 is 200 billion Rs. It is built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. How big is INS Vikrant? It is 262 meters long, 60 meters tall and 62 meters wide with the capacity of carrying 30 fighter planes and helicopters. It has 2300 compartments manned by 1700 seamen. It has a top speed of 28 knots and an endurance of 7500 nautical miles. It displaces about 45,000 metric tons. It won't end here. It has eight kilometres of corridors, two flight decks the size of football fields, a hospital complex, rooms for female officers, and eight generators powerful enough to light up a metropolis of two million people are all features of this ship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a 'Floating City' and told carrier as a symbol of Indigenous potential.

   The first effort was set by Defense Minister George Fernandes in 1999, he authorised the development and construction of an aircraft carrier INS Vikrant under project 71 ADS (Air Defense Ship). Then in 2001, Cochin September limited presented a graphic illustration showing a 32,000-ton STOBAR with a pronounced ski jump. A ski-jump is an upward-curved ramp used in aviation that enables aeroplanes to take off from runways that are shorter than the necessary takeoff roll for the aircraft. This project was finally approved by the government in January 2003. But by that time, the design had got changed a little, from 32,000 ton now 37,500-ton carrier was to be considered. In August 2006, Admiral Arun Prakash stated that the goal for the vessel had been changed from ADS to IAC. Then again design revisions made some changes like carriers now to be built of 40,000 tons instead of 37,500 tons. The length has also got an increment of 10 meters.


 During the construction Defense Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) and Steel Authority of India (SAIL) manufactured the DMR 249 grade steel in India at various plants. 26,000 tonnes of 3 types of special steel for the hull, flight deck and floor compartments were manufactured at the Bokaro Steel Plant, Jharkhand, Bhilai Steel plant, Chhattisgarh and Rourkela steel plant, Odisha. The carrier was launched on 12 August 2013 by Elizabeth Antony, wife of the Defense Minister.

   The commanding officer of this carrier is Captain Vidhyadhar Harke, VSM from 7 May 2021 to the present. He is also the first CO of IAC-1. With IAC-1, India has joined the list of countries which manufacture huge aircraft carriers with Indigenous technology. IAC-1 has already increased the confidence of the Nation.

   India is aiming to build another aircraft carrier named INS Vishal (IAC-2) with a capacity of 65,000 tonnes. The way India growing feels like soon India will be one of the most advanced countries ever.