INS Vikrant: India's First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Where PM Modi Celebrated Diwali

INS Vikrant was commissioned in 2022.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali today with Indian Navy personnel off Goa's coast. During his visit, he also commemorated the success of Operation Sindoor, India's strategic response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

INS Vikrant, India's first indigenously built aircraft carrier, was commissioned in 2022, significantly enhancing the nation's naval capabilities.

This impressive warship features cutting-edge technology and has been described as a "city on the move" due to its extensive facilities.

The vessel bears the name of its distinguished predecessor, which played a crucial role during the 1971 war against Pakistan that resulted in Bangladesh's liberation.

As India's largest domestically constructed warship, INS Vikrant measures 262 metres in length and 62 metres in width. It serves as the country's second aircraft carrier, following INS Vikramaditya, which was constructed on a Russian platform.

To better comprehend its massive scale, the Navy previously explained that the warship spans the equivalent of two football fields placed end to end and stands as tall as 18 floors.

The aircraft carrier's hangar alone equals the size of two Olympic swimming pools.

This formidable vessel can accommodate 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter jets and various helicopters, along with a crew of approximately 1,600 personnel.

Built over more than a decade, the warship is outfitted with a 16-bed hospital, 250 fuel tankers, and 2,400 compartments.

In December, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOCINC) of the Southern Naval Command announced that INS Vikrant had achieved full operational status after completing its final operational clearance last year.

Currently under the Western Naval Command, the warship is fully prepared to undertake naval assignments and missions.