Cochin - Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning commissioned the first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant in a ceremony at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi. INS Vikrant built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore, marking a major milestone in India's defence.

Designed by the Indian Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Vikrant has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built in the maritime history of India.

During the event, the Prime Minister will also unveil the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage. The commissioning of Vikrant will mark a significant step towards India's self-reliance in the defence sector, a Defence spokesman has said. "It is a shining beacon of Atma Nirbharta in the defence sector," he said.

With the commissioning of 'Vikrant', India would join a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier, which will be a real testimony to the Make in India thrust of Government of India," a Defence statement has said.

The warship has been built using indigenous equipment and machinery supplied by India's major industrial houses as well as over 100 MSMEs.

It has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country as well as over 100 MSMEs. With the commissioning of Vikrant, India will have two operational aircraft carriers, which will bolster the maritime security of the nation. As per the Indian Navy, the 262-meter-long carrier has a full displacement of close to 45,000 tonnes which is much larger and more advanced than her predecessor.