Kochi: To deter Chinese presence in Indian Ocean Region, Southern Naval Command (SNC) Chief Vice admiral MA Hampiholi said Indian Navy requires three aircraft carriers and with carrier battle group (CBG) centred around Vikrant will provide unmatched flexibility and deterrence when the time comes calling to go for action.

"As per our own maritime capability perspective plan, which outlines the kind of capabilities and the force levels of the Indian Navy looking into the future after gauging the various threats. We have arrived at the fact that the Indian Navy requires three aircraft carriers which should mean that there will be one on each seaboard one on the west, one on the east and the third, if not available, would be of course in maintenance," Hampiholi said.

He further added: "The carrier battle group (CBG) centred around Vikrant will provide Indian Navy unmatched flexibility, reach and sustenance and deterrence will provide for the accomplishment of all missions because of two very primary factors of a CBG that is the persistence of airpower in the midst of the oceans and beyond. And presence, which will provide both deterrence and of course, when the time comes calling to go in for action."

The addition of the Vikrant to the Indian Navy's fleet is a significant accomplishment for the Government's "Make In India" initiative, as 76 per cent of the content is indigenous, adding India to an elite group of nations with indigenous aircraft carriers (IAC).

Talking about future plans for Vikrant, Hampiholi expressed that the future plans often the commissioning of the ship would involve flight trials and integration of the most important element of the carrier and that is the combat aircraft. "So the ship will be proceeding for trials for integrating the combat element along with the deck element and proceed for trials and thereafter become a whole combat body ship," he said.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier would soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy as Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant which would bolster India's position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy.

The ship would be capable of operating air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising of 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).

Speaking about Vikrant being a perfect example of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Vice admiral said: "If you see the USP of the Vikrant is the fact that it is 76 per cent indigenous. Firstly, as I said has been designed in-house by the Navy's warship design unit. And more importantly, it's been built by an ecosystem of Indian industry."

He revealed that more than 544 registered big and small Indian firms' industrial houses with the Cochin Shipyard Limited have contributed to making Vikrant.

"These include the big names like BEL, BHEL, L&T, Kirloskar, and so on and so forth. In addition, orders worth 292 crores were placed Over the last 10 years to about 100 MSMEs so about 76 per cent by cost of the Vikrant is indigenous which amounts to almost about 15,000 crores the cost of the ship is almost about 19,500 crores as per the study of the KPMG for every single employee who's employed at CSL it gives rise to employment to about 6.4 personnel in the ancillary industry. And with CSL employing almost about 2000 people it amounts to about employment generation to the tune of about 12,800 personnel down the line downstream in the ancillary units," Vice admiral said. (ANI)

Building Maritime Capacity

The commission of IAC Vikrant will mark a significant step forward for India's defence sector and will enhance the combat capability of the Indian Navy.

Heralding a new dawn for India's Naval capabilities, the country's first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant will be commissioned into the Navy as INS Vikrant on September 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to officially induct the vessel to the Indian Navy at a specially arranged venue inside the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), which manufactured the warship worth over Rs 20,000 crore.

After the completion of its fourth and final phase of sea trials on July 10, the Indian Navy took the delivery of the carrier from CSL on July 28. The India-made aircraft carrier is also known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 (IAC-1).

The commissioning of IAC Vikrant will mark a significant step forward for India's defence sector and will enhance the combat capability of the Indian Navy.

Here are five (of many) fascinating facts about India's first indigenous Aircraft carrier:

1. IAC Vikrant has a total cabling length of 2,400 kms which equals the distance between Kochi and Delhi. Apart from this, the amount of steel used in the ship is reportedly equivalent to four times the steel used in the making of the Eiffel Tower.

2. Each of the MIG-29K aircraft stationed on IAC Vikrant weighs as much as about two fully-grown African elephants..

3. The aircraft carrier is capable of generating enough electricity to power a small town. It was further revealed that Vikrant can travel at a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.

4. It has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 sailors. The ship also includes specialised cabins to accommodate women officers.

5. IAC-1 is to be commissioned as INS Vikrant, in a nod to one of the two earlier aircraft carriers that India operated - one being INS Vikrant and the other being INS Viraat - both of which were acquired from the UK and commissioned in 1961 and 1987, respectively. INS Vikrant played a major role in eastern Pakistan during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. It was later decommissioned in 1997.