Aircraft Carriers | INS Vikrant

Why in news?

India undocked its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, built at Cochin Shipyard in June 2015.

INS Vikrant:

Source: Dainik Bhaskar

• It is first of two planned Vikrant-class carriers, second one being  INS Vishal
• First aircraft carrier to be built in India
• Timeline:
• 2011 - left dry dockyad
• 2013 - officially launched
• 2015 - undocking - marks completion of the second phase of construction
• 2016 - expected to have fully completed construction
• 2017 - expected to be commissioned 
• After induction, it will be India’s largest aircraft carrier.
• Built under India’s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) project or formerly Project 71 Air Defence Ship (ADS) 
• On completion of the aircraft carrier - India will be in the elite group of 4 nations - US, Russia, UK and France - in the world which is capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers.

Other Aircraft carriers of Indian Navy

• Active:
• INS Viraat
• INS Vikramaditya
• Under construction:
• INS Vikrant
• Planned
• INS Vishal

Significance

1. Symbolic milestone - because - only 5th country to do this
2. Development of indigenous institutions
3. Furtherance of Make in India program
4. Reduce strategic reliance on other countries
5. Reduce import bill - hence CAD also reduced
6. We can help other countries, especially in South Asia, Africa and Latin America in aircraft carrier technology

Sources: PIB, Firstpost, Economic Times, The Hindu, Wikipedia, Dainik Bhaskar