INS Vikrant: An historic commissioningCrying hoarse for credit can wait forstate and parliamentary elections
INS Vikrant, Indian Navy's second aircraft carrier, was commissioned at Cochin shipyard in Kochi on 2nd September by the prime minister. The commissioning could not have come at a more appropriate time when security concerns from Chinese warships loom quite large in the Indo-pacific region and Indian Ocean, making it imperative for the Indian Navy to remain combat-ready to thwart Beijing from dominating navigation of our commercial ships and movement of warships in these areas. It is the largest (262 meter-long and 62 meter-wide) and most complex warship, capable of operating 30 aircrafts including MIG-29 K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R and advanced light helicopters and packed with air defence, missile defence, anti-missile and torpedo defence systems.
What makes INS Vikrant exceptional is the fact that it has been designed and manufactured indigenously (76%) with contributions from DRDO, SAIL, BEL, BHEL, Kirloskar, Tata Advanced systems, L&T, Johnson Controls and over 100 MSMEs. No wonder PM called its fruition as a vindication of India's commitment to self-reliance (Atmanirbharata), proof of India's talent, indigenous potential, technical reserves and skill and manifestation of freedom fighters' dream of the country becoming a maritime power, capable of controlling its sea. With its induction, India has now joined major carrier manufactures like the US, UK, France, Russia and China.
INS Vikrant: An historic commissioning
The occasion was also marked by erasing a symbol of India's colonial vestige, with the unveiling of a new naval Ensign (Nishan). Even after 70 years of freedom, a visible reminder of our slavery to British empire remained on Indian Navy's flag that carried St. George Cross. It has since been removed. The Ensign now consists of national flag and a navy blue gold octagon at the centre, encompassing national emblem with Satyamev Jayate on the top and superimposed on a shield. Below, the shield is Navy's motto 'Sam No Varunah'. Significantly, the golden border surrounding the national emblem hasbeen inspired by the seal of Chatrapati Shivaji, hailed as father of modern Indian Navy who had built more than 50 big, steady and speedy combat vessels and 700 trading vessels with the help of his men and technical assistance from a few British and Portugeseship-builders. Cynics may privately scoff at PM's gesture to dedicate INS Vikrant to Shivaji but it does reflect his immense pride in our national heroes and their contribution in securing country's glorious past.
Interestingly, INS Vikrant is named after its earlier namesake which was decommissioned in 1997 and scrapped during 2014-15. The name was retained apparently in memory of the decisive role it played during 1971 Indo-Pak war. Such is the abiding loyalty of Navy to its assets. Vikrant, like all big projects in India, also suffered at the hands of politicians and officials with myopic vision. As a result, its cost went up from 0.5 billion US dollars to 3.13 US billion dollars and took more than three decades for it to become a reality. India had earlier bought 3 retrofitted carriers, 2 from UK (Viraat and Vikrant) and one Vikramaditya from Russia but Navy did not have the flexibility to get what was needed. It was then decided in 1999 by George Fernandes, former defence minister, to have an indigenously built carrier. The formal approval, however, came only in 2003.
INS Vikrant is a unique reflection of India becoming self-reliant: PM Modi
Thereafter, the design and displacement capacity of the aircraft carrier kept changing from a modest 14,000 tons to 20,000 tons to the present 43000 tonsmainly due to lack of poor appreciation of future challenges to our security interests in Indian ocean and Indo-pacific region. Added to this, was slow pace of indigenization, absence of private participation in defence manufacturing and nagging delays in supply of aviation equipment from Russia. In last eight years, pace of completing the project picked up speed and by the end of 2023, it should be fully operational. Jairam Ramesh, the erudite Congress spokesman, grudges PM's destiny to commission INS Vikram that he believes was his supreme leader's prerogative. Unfortunately, destiny does not come by fretting and fuming but by deserving it.
(Amar Bhushan worked with the Research and Analysis Wing for 24 years after briefly serving in the BSF intelligence, State Special Branch and Intelligence Bureau. He served as the Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat before he retired in 2005.)
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