INS Vikrant, first indigenous aircraft carrier, launched 

 A slew of big-ticket projects, such as the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, the launch of which was announced with much fanfare on Monday, will not see the light of day anytime soon. Not in the lifetime of this government and not even after the next government demits office.

 Take the case of the INS Vikrant, launched by Defence Minister A.K. Antony's wife, Elizabeth, on Monday. While the official spin is that the launch brackets India with a handful of nations capable of building a modern aircraft carrier, it will be at least another seven years before the INS Vikrant can be actively deployed by the Navy. The launch is, however, indicative of progress and the carrier remains the Indian Navy's great hope.

Experts who have worked on the project said that though 75 per cent of the ship's structure has been completed, a fair amount of work remains before it can be handed over to the Navy some time in 2018. The Navy will then take at least two years to make the aviation facility on the carrier fully active after a series of sea trials, said an officer involved with the project, claiming it would be safe to estimate a 2020 date for the full deployment of the aircraft carrier.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ins-vikrant-indigenous-aircraft-carrier-launched-seven-years-navy/1/299256.html

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ins-vikrant-indigenous-aircraft-carrier-launched-seven-years-navy/1/299256.html