Russian made $2.5 billion warship aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya reached Sea Bird naval base in Karwar on the west coast in Karnataka on Tuesday. After a delay of almost five years, India’s largest aircraft carrier which was inducted formally on November 16 in Russia by Defence Minister AK Antony has reached its home base in Karwar amidst a ceremonial welcome to the grand warship.
A Navy source told The Pioneer that it may take more than two months for the aircraft carrier to get integrated into the force. Indian Navy now has two operational aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat. According to the Navy sources, INS Viraat would be decommissioned in next two to three years. India is also manufacturing its first indigenous aircraft carrier in Cochin which is likely to be operational by 2018.
INS Vikramaditya was earlier scheduled to be inducted into the Navy in November 2012, but some defects in its engines and boilers led to a year-long delay. India and Russia had signed the deal for the aircraft carrier in 2004.
INS Vikramaditya, the largest floating airfield of the Indian Navy, would carry the floating squadron of MiG 29K was the refurbished version of Russian warship Admiral Gorshkov. A Naval analyst said that the arrival of Vikramaditya, the 45,000 tonne one of the largest warships in the world, would play a game changer for the Indian Navy and enhance the maritime security in the Indian Ocean. He said, “With the arrival of INS Vikramaditya, the Navy has joined the elite club of few countries in the world to posses such a floating airfield. It will play a major role in protecting the Indian interest in the Indian Ocean”.
According to a Navy officer, Vikramaditya has been docked with all honour at the Sea Bird airbase in Karwar and would take more than a year to fully integrate into the forces. INS Vikramaditya would carry about 30 aircraft on board comprising an assortment of MiG 29K, Kamov Ka-31, Kamov Ka-28, Sea King, AlH-Dhruv and Chetak helicopters.