INS Vikrant (IAC-1) Trials – Indigenous aircraft carrier updates.

INS Vikrant (IAC-1): India’s First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Redefining Maritime Power in the Indo-Pacific

The commissioning and operational readiness of INS Vikrant (IAC-1), India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, stand as a defining achievement in the history of Indian naval power and the broader vision of self-reliance in defence production. This 45,000-ton displacement warship, designed by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), is a strategic leap in naval warfare capability and a testament to India’s growing role as a regional maritime power. Stretching 262 meters long and 62 meters wide, INS Vikrant is comparable in size to some of the most advanced carriers globally, featuring a short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR) configuration with a ski-jump ramp for launching aircraft. It can carry over 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K fighters, HAL’s naval LCA Tejas (under trials), Kamov-31 AEW helicopters, MH-60R Seahawks, and future TEDBF jets. With four gas turbines producing a total of 88 megawatts of power, Vikrant can attain speeds up to 28 knots, giving it both endurance and speed required for sustained blue-water operations. More than 76% of the ship’s components are made in India, involving over 500 Indian firms, public and private, across the defence ecosystem—ranging from Bharat Electronics and L&T to smaller MSMEs—making it a milestone of the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. The ship is equipped with Barak-8 surface-to-air missile systems, multi-function surveillance radars, automated aviation fuel handling, advanced integrated platform management systems (IPMS), and indigenous combat management systems (CMS) which together make it a formidable force multiplier in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The aviation complex includes three arrestor wires, four lifts, and two runways, all managed through advanced ship control and traffic systems, ensuring rapid deployment and recovery cycles. Its design allows interoperability with India’s second carrier, INS Vikramaditya, enabling strategic coverage across dual sea fronts. Vikrant is not just a ship but a floating symbol of India’s defence evolution, maritime heritage, and commitment to safeguarding its strategic interests from the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca.

Since its commissioning in September 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, INS Vikrant has progressed from sea trials into a fully operational carrier entering live fleet service in 2025. The Indian Navy has begun extensive aircraft integration, with successful take-offs and landings by MiG-29Ks, and HAL’s LCA Navy undergoing compatibility assessments to transition into a next-generation naval fighter program. The upcoming Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), being developed by DRDO and ADA, is expected to become Vikrant's mainstay by 2030, replacing the aging MiG-29K fleet. Operationally, Vikrant has participated in high-profile maritime exercises including Malabar 2024, VARUNA, and MILAN, collaborating with navies of the United States, Japan, France, Australia, and ASEAN partners, reflecting India's strategic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific and its aim to act as a net security provider. Vikrant’s deployment in the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, and beyond signals India's ability to project air and sea power thousands of kilometers away from its shores, deter maritime threats, and secure critical sea lanes that carry nearly 90% of its trade. As regional tensions rise with China’s aggressive posturing in the South China Sea and growing naval presence in the IOR through its PLA Navy bases in Gwadar and Djibouti, INS Vikrant provides a counterweight, reinforcing India’s surveillance, deterrence, and response capabilities. Additionally, the ship’s humanitarian and disaster relief potential is significant, offering critical medical support, logistics, and heliborne rescue operations in times of regional crises, including tsunamis, cyclones, or naval emergencies. More than a piece of military hardware, Vikrant serves as a tool of diplomacy, a platform for joint operations, and a message to the world that India is prepared, self-reliant, and ready to lead in the global maritime domain. As the Indian Navy envisions a three-carrier fleet for sustained maritime dominance and oceanic influence, Vikrant’s success sets the benchmark for future indigenous carrier projects like IAC-2 (INS Vishal). It is not merely a ship but a sovereign statement in steel—a mobile fortress of India’s 21st-century maritime ambition.

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