In a tweet on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the commissioning of the first aircraft carrier built in India, the INS Vikrant, as a “historic day” for the nation. Modi launched the 262-meter-long Vikrant at Kerala’s Cochin Shipyard, and the prime minister thereafter had a tour of the warship.
Taking to Twitter, the PM said, “A historic day for India! Words will not be able to describe the feeling of pride when I was on board INS Vikrant yesterday.”
“Vikrant is not only a warship; it is evidence of the hard work, talent, impact, and devotion of India in the 21st century,” Modi said during the ceremony, describing Vikrant as “big, majestic, distinct, and special.”
“Today, India joins the countries that build such large aircraft carriers with indigenous technology. Today, INS Vikrant has filled India with a new trust.”
According to the Navy, Vikrant, the largest ship ever built in India, is the size of two football fields. It contains modern features and was built for 20,000 crore.
The vessel was named after its legendary predecessor, India’s first aircraft carrier, which was instrumental in the war of 1971.
The new Vikrant contains a sizable amount of made-in-India gear and equipment, which was produced by large national industrial companies and more than 100 MSMEs.