Ritika
-Arvind Singh
Mumbai: India, which is included in the category of aircraft carrier manufacturing countries, now has two aircraft carriers. After the ‘Vikramaditya’ (INS Vikramaditya) received from the Soviet Union, now the indigenously built ‘INS Vikrant’ under self-reliant India is a mobile fort in the sea. Even after two aircraft, looking at India’s maritime security needs, the need for more aircraft is being felt. This fact has also been accepted by the commanding officer of ‘INS Vikrant’, Vidyadhar Harke.
During the meeting on Friday on the ‘deck’ of Vikrant, who was visiting Mumbai for the first time, Harke said that India is surrounded by sea borders from three sides. Defending this long border has always been a challenge for the Indian armies. Given the long sea border, more and more aircraft carriers are required.
At least three aircraft needed
Commodore Harke said that there is always a threat to the country from neighboring China and Pakistan. That’s why at least three aircraft are needed at this time to protect the sea borders. Harke said that India has come in the category of five countries in the world, where it itself is building and operating state-of-the-art aircraft carriers.
76 percent material indigenous
Commodore Harke said that 76 per cent material in ‘Vikrant’ is indigenous. He said that the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had boarded ‘Vikrant’ and inspected and praised its qualities. According to Harke, Albanese said that this time the ‘Malabar’ exercise should be with Australia. According to Harke, with the arrival of Vikrant, India has become very strong in the Indian Ocean region. He said that the third aircraft carrier has been planned. It will be implemented soon.
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Vikrant’s specialty
- Length: 262 m
- Fighter: A total of 30 fighter aircraft including helicopters
- Range: 15,000 km
- Weight: Displacement – 45,000 tonnes with load
- Beam: 62m
- Speed: 46 kmph
- Height: 59 m
- Price: 23 thousand crore rupees
- Commissioning: September 2, 2022
- Officers and Sailors: 1,500 to 1,600
