INS Vikramaditya to undergo refit
Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya, will undergo a ‘refit’ for what would involve extensive maintenance, repairs and technological upgrades to various systems onboard the carrier.
Commissioned in 2013, the INS Vikramaditya, is one of two sea-going aircraft carriers, the Indian Navy has.
The Ministry of Defence today signed a Rs 1,207 crore contract with the Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi, for what it termed a ‘short refit and dry docking’ of the INS Vikramaditya.The MoD said after completion of the re-fit, INS Vikramaditya will join the active fleet of the Indian Navy with upgraded combat capability.
The project is an important step towards development of Cochin Shipyard Limited as a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub for supporting the industrial ecosystem of India. The project envisages the involvement of nearly 50 MSMEs and would lead to employment generation for more than 3500 personnel, the MoD said.
The Cochin Shipyard manufactured the INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous carrier that was commissioned in September 2022.
The INS Vikramaditya commissioned in the Indian Navy in November 2013, was sourced from Russia. Earlier, in August this year, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the highest decision-making body for defence procurement in India, had okayed the refit of the INS Vikramaditya.
