INS Vikrant, a glowing symbol of self-reliant ‘New India’ joins Indian Navy

New Delhi/ Kochi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Friday commissioned the country's first indigenous aircraft carrier Indian Naval Ship INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in a high-profile event in Kochi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, MoS Defence Ajay Bhat and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar were present at the event apart from the Governor of the state and CM Pinrai Vijayan.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said, here on the coast of Kerala, every Indian is witnessing the sunrise of a new future. This event, being held on the INS Vikrant is a tribute to the rising spirits of India on the world horizon. He said that today we are seeing a manifestation of the dream of the freedom fighters where they envisioned a capable and strong India. The Prime Minister exclaimed "Vikrant is huge, massive, and vast. Vikrant is distinguished, and Vikrant is also special. Vikrant is not just a warship. This is a testament to the hard work, talent, influence and commitment of India in the 21st century. If the goals are distant, the journeys are long, the ocean and the challenges are endless – then India's answer is Vikrant. The incomparable Amrit of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is Vikrant. Vikrant is a unique reflection of India becoming self-reliant."

Commenting on the new mood of the nation, the Prime Minister said, no challenge is too difficult for today's India. He said "today, India has joined those countries in the world, which manufacture such a huge aircraft carrier with indigenous technology. Today INS Vikrant has filled the country with new confidence, and has created a new confidence in the country." The Prime Minister acknowledged and praised the contribution of the Navy, engineers of Cochin Shipyard, scientists and especially the workers who worked on the project. He also noted the happy and auspicious occasion of Onam that is adding even more happiness to the occasion.

Every part of INS Vikrant has its own merits, a strength, and a development journey of its own. It is a symbol of indigenous potential, indigenous resources and indigenous skills. The steel installed in its airbase is also indigenous, developed by DRDO scientists and produced by Indian companies, he said. Explaining the massive proportions of the Carrier, the Prime Minister said it is like a floating city. It produces electricity that is sufficient to power 5000 households and the wiring used will reach Kashi from Kochi, he said. He said that INS Vikrant is a living embodiment of the Spirit of the Panch Prans that he proclaimed from the ramparts of Red Fort.

The Prime Minister said drop by drop water becomes like a vast ocean. He also mentioned the salute by the indigenous canon on this Independence Day. Similarly, if every citizen of India starts living the mantra of 'Vocal for Local', then it will not take long for the country to become self-reliant.

Commenting on the changing geo-strategic situation, he said in the past, security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean have long been ignored. But, today this area is a major defence priority of the country for us. That is why we are working in every direction, from increasing the budget for the Navy to increasing its capability, he said. The Prime Minister said that a strong India will pave the way for a peaceful and safe world.

In his address, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed the commissioning of INS Vikrant at the onset of 'Amritkal' as a testament to the Government's strong resolve to ensure the safety and security of the nation in the next 25 years. "INS Vikrant is a glowing symbol of an aspirational and self-reliant 'New India'. It is an icon of pride, power and resolve of the Nation. Its commissioning is an unprecedented achievement in the path of building indigenous warships. Indian Navy's tradition is 'old ships never die'. This new avatar of Vikrant, which played a stellar role in the 1971 war, is a humble tribute to our freedom fighters and brave soldiers," he said.

Rajnath Singh also asserted that it is a key responsibility of the Indian Navy to secure the country's maritime interests for uninterrupted maritime trade, amid the constantly-changing global situation. He commended the Navy for always being the 'First Responder' in times of any national or international crisis and exuded confidence that the commissioning of INS Vikrant would further enhance the force's capability. He added that this is an assurance to the friendly foreign countries that India is fully capable of meeting the collective security needs of the region. "We believe in a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our efforts in this regard are guided by 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) as envisioned by the Prime Minister," he said.

The Defence Minister also described the commissioning of INS Vikrant as a confirmation that the Government's unwavering commitment to achieving 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' is not an isolated policy. It is an important part of the huge transformative change taking place in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he said.

Rajnath Singh commended the Prime Minister for his visionary leadership in realising the dream of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', stating that the government has made path-breaking changes in all sectors such as defence, health, education, agriculture, trade, transport and communication. He listed out a series of steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to achieve the objective. These include setting up of defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; issuance of three positive indigenisation lists; earmarking of 68% of capital procurement budget for domestic industry; Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 and increase in FDI limit. He said, the aim is 'Make in India, Make for the World' and exports of more than $400 billion in the last year is a proof of this vision.

"As India is moving rapidly towards a $5 trillion economy, our share in global trade will increase in the coming times. If the share will increase, a large part of it will inevitably be through maritime routes. In such a situation, INS Vikrant will prove to be crucial to safeguard our security and economic interests," Singh said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar voiced the Navy's resolve for India@100 to become completely self-reliant until 2047, consisting of 'Made in India' ships, submarines, aircraft, unmanned vessels and systems and remain a 'Combat Ready, Credible, Cohesive and Future-Proof Force'. He added that the Navy is determined to move forward on the path of five pledges – developed India, removing any sign of servility, pride in heritage, unity and fulfilling the duties – as envisioned by the Prime Minister.

The Chief of the Naval Staff exhorted the Commanding Officer and crew of INS Vikrant to take forward the proud legacy of erstwhile Vikrant which served the country for 36 glorious years and played a significant role in the 1971 war.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt and senior civil & military officials of the Ministry of Defence and CSL were among those present on occasion.

(Defence Watch– India's Defence News centre that focuses on Defence Manufacturing, Defence Technology, Strategy and Military affairs is on Twitter. Follow us here and stay updated.)