(Image source from: India Ahoy! INS Vikrant unveiled)

India is now among the select few countries to have a home-built aircraft carrier. The 37,500 tonne INS Vikrant was unveiled at a shipyard in southern Kerala, marking the end of its first phase of construction.

INS Vikrant will further undergo several extensive trials in 2016, after which the carrier will be inducted into the navy by 2018. The US, UK, France and Russia are the only other countries with the ability to construct such a ship.

A shipyard in Cochin has built the ship using locally sourced high grade steel. Indian Navy had a proud moment when a ship built on home soil was unveiled.  INS Vikrant has a length of 260m and a breadth of 60m.

Image Courtesy: Press Trust of India

AW: Sruthi