Joins INS Vikramaditya for exercise in Arabian Sea to showcase ‘twin-carrier’ operations

India’ s first indigenous aircraft carrier ‘INS Vikrant’ has been integrated with the Navy’s fleet for operational deployment.

The 45,000-tonne sea-going aircraft carrier can now be sent on operational deployment, sources said.

INS Vikrant on Friday joined the Navy’s other carrier, INS Vikramaditya, for an exercise in the Arabian Sea to showcase ‘twin-carrier’ operations.

The Navy’s Western Command posted on X about the development, saying: “INS Vikrant, India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, joined the Western Fleet, in a significant enhancement to the maritime power”.

INS Vikrant will join the ‘carrier battle group’ led by INS Vikramaditya, the 49,000-tonne Russian origin carrier. A carrier battle  group has multiple ships, including fleet supply ships, and submarines that operate together.

“Inducted INS Vikrant with a multi domain exercise and twin Carrier fighter operations in the Arabian Sea,” the Western Naval command said in a post.

INS Vikrant, commissioned on September 2, 2022, has now completed the integration of its in-deck fighter jets, MiG-29K, and also the installation of onboard surface-to-air missiles, Barak NG, made by public sector Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI).

After commissioning, INS Vikrant had a minor re-fit at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi.