Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday commissioned INS Vikrant, India’s first home-built aircraft carrier, in a grand ceremony at Cochin Shipyard.
The 45,000-tonne warship has been built at a cost of ₹ 20,000 crore.
262 metres long and 62 metres wide, INS Vikrant is the largest warship to be built in India. It can have 30 aircraft on board, including MiG-29K fighter jets and helicopters.
The warship can accommodate a crew of nearly 1,600.
The warship was in the works for over a decade.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister also unveiled the new naval ensign.
The new ensign has the national flag on the upper canton. A blue octagonal shape with the national emblem sits atop an anchor, superimposed on a shield with the navy’s motto.
