Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar made a big announcement today, that the Navy is looking at a repeat order for an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) after inducting INS Vikrant and preparing a case for it. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of launch of advanced stealth frigate ‘Mahendragiri’, he said with the indigenously built INS Vikrant, Cochin Shipyard has acquired an expertise in manufacturing an IAC.

“We are working for a third aircraft carrier which will be a repeat of the INS Vikrant. There is a lot of expertise that has been generated in terms of building an aircraft carrier. We are looking at having an IAC, a follow-on I would say, a repeat order being made. We are preparing a case for it,” Admiral Kumar said.

India currently has two aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. The first IAC was commissioned by the Indian Navy in September last year.

PTI