INS Vikrant : A Milestone in Atmanirbhar Bharat's Journey

EN EXPLAINS

Showcasing India's growing prowess of indigenous manufacturing, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi commissioned the country's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) on 2nd September 2022. The IAC is named after her illustrious predecessor, that is, India's first Aircraft Carrier which had played a vital role in the 1971 war. With the commissioning of INS Vikrant, India now has two operational Aircraft Carriers, which will bolster the maritime security of the nation. India has now joined the select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier.

The Inside-Out of INS Vikrant

The 262.5-metre-long and 61.6-metre-wide, INS Vikrant displaces approx 43,000 tonnes, having a maximum designed speed of 28 Knots with endurance of 7,500 Nautical Miles. The Carrier has a height of 59 metres, including the superstructure. There are 14 decks in all, including five in the superstructure. The Prime Minister remarked, at the commissioning of the Aircraft Carrier, that when Vikrant descends to protect our maritime zone, many women soldiers of the Navy will also be stationed there. The ship has around 2,200 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,600 including women officers and sailors. Explaining the massive proportions of the Carrier, the Prime Minister said it is like a floating city. It produces electricity that is sufficient to power 5,000 households and the wiring used will reach Kashi from Kochi, he added. The Aircraft Carrier has a flight deck area covering the size of two football fields. The ship boasts of a fully-fledged state-ofthe-art medical complex with latest medical equipment facilities that includes OT, physiotherapy clinic, ICU, laboratories, isolation ward, telemedicine facilities, etc. The carrier is designed with a very high degree of automation for machinery operations, ship navigation, and survivability. 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). Using a novel aircraftoperation mode known as Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR), INS Vikrant is equipped with a ski-jump for launching aircraft, and a set of 'arrester wires' for their recovery onboard.

A Unique Reflection of SelfReliance: INS Vikrant is a real testimony to the nation's resolve for selfreliance and 'Make in India', reflecting indigenous potential, indigenous resources, and indigenous skills and technologies. Designed 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, Vikrant has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built in the maritime history of India. maritime history of India. The country's steelmaking giant, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied the entire DMR grade specialty steel for Vikrant. The India Navy, Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), and SAIL partnered for the development and production of indigenous warship grade steel for the ship. It has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country as well as over 100 MSMEs. Construction of INS Vikrant has resulted in direct employment generation for over 2,000 employees of CSL. This is in addition to indirect employment generation for approximately 12,500 employees of over 550 OEMs, sub-contractors, and ancillary industries, thereby bolstering the plough-back effect on the economy. The induction and reincarnation of 'Vikrant' during the Amrit Kaal is thus not only another step towards strengthening India's defence preparedness but also our humble tribute to the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters for the Independence of the nation and our brave soldiers during the 1971 war.

Doing Away with the Colonial Past: The Prime Minister on 2nd September 2022, also unveiled the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan). The new ensign is a befitting tribute to the rich Indian maritime heritage. Resonant to the ongoing national endeavour to move away from colonial past, a need was felt to transition to a new design that drew inspiration from our history. The White Ensign, identified nation-wide with the Navy, now comprises two main constituents-the National Flag in the upper left canton and a Navy Blue-Gold octagon at the centre of the fly side (away from the staff). The Octagon is with twin golden octagonal borders encompassing the golden National Emblem resting atop an anchor and superimposed on a shield. Below the shield, within the octagon, in a golden bordered ribbon, on a Navy Blue background, is inscribed the motto of the Indian Navy Sam No Varunah in golden Devanagri script. The design encompassed within the octagon has been taken from the Indian Naval crest, wherein the fouled anchor, which is also associated with colonial legacy, has been replaced with a clear anchor underscoring the steadfastness of the Indian Navy. The new Naval Ensign draws inspiration from the seal of great Indian emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It depicts steadfastness, the octagonal shape represents the eight directions, symbolizing multi-directional reach of the Indian Navy.

(Compiled by: Anuja Bhardwajan & Annesha Banerjee)

Source: Indian Navy/ PIB/PM's Twitter Handle