INS Vikrant: First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

Context

Recently, the Prime Minister of India commissioned India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant in Kochi.

Currently, India has two aircraft carriers (INS Vikramaditya (from Russia) & INS Vikrant (present one).

The name ‘INS Vikrant’ originally belonged to India’s first aircraft carrier which was acquired from the UK, and played a vital role in the 1971 War with Pakistan before it was decommissioned in 1997.
Design & Development

By the Indian Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
It has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built-in the maritime history of India.

The ship is capable of operating an air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, in addition to indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (Navy).

The ship can accommodate an assortment of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.
The warship will also offer an “incomparable military instrument with its ability to project Air Power over long distances, including offensive, Air Interdiction, Anti-Surface Warfare, defensive Counter-Air, Airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare and Airborne Early Warning.

With the commissioning, India has joined the elite group of nations (US, Russia, France, the UK and China) having capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier.
It is a shining example in the nation’s quest for ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India Initiative,’ with more than 76 per cent indigenous content.”
It is especially important amid India’s bid to be a net security provider in the Indian Ocean region & upholder of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) where it faces China.
The two aircraft carriers can be deployed, one in East Coast (BOB & Malacca Strait) & 2nd one for west Coast (Arabian Sea, Pak Coast & West Asia).
Naval forces can use this for dispensing humanitarian relief & disaster relief (in peacetime).