Visakhapatnam: The nation’s mightiest naval ship and first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, arrived here in the early hours of Monday. It was anchored about 12 nautical miles from the city shores.
The vessel, which played a vital role in Operation Sindoor, would be the main attraction at the international fleet review and the MILAN 26 scheduled for February Wednesday and Friday.
Vikrant played a deterrent role in Operation Sindoor, initiated on May 7, 2025, by leading a 36-ship powerful naval strike group in the northern segment of the Arabian Sea. Positioned near Karachi, the carrier-led strike-force put Pakistan on the defensive, and prevented escalation of the military confrontation.
In due recognition of this service, Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked Diwali in the presence of armed forces personnel at INS Vikrant off the coast of Goa and Karwar on October 20, 2025. Heaping praise on INS Vikrant, Modi said INS Vikrant gave sleepless nights to Pakistan.
INS Vikrant takes its name from India’s first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant (R11), which was decommissioned in 1997. The erstwhile INS Vikrant played a crucial role in the 1961 Goa Liberation and the 1971 Indo-Pak War, earning a lasting place of pride in India’s naval history.
The new INS Vikrant carries forward this legacy and represents a significant milestone in the country’s naval self-reliance and shipbuilding capability.
Commissioned in 2022, INS Vikrant marked India’s entry into an elite group of nations capable of designing and building their own aircraft carriers.
INS Vikrant spans 262 metres in length and 62 metres in width and is 18 floors tall. It houses a crew of 1,600 and carries 250 tankers of fuel.
INS Vikrant can host up to 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter jets and various helicopters.
Apart from INS Vikrant, Indian Naval ships INS Chennai, INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mysore, INS Mumbai, INS Rana, INS Ranvir, INS Ranvijay, INS Tamal and submarines INS Sindhukesari, INS Shankul, INS Sindhukirti would take part in the IFR.
The Indian Navy is hosting the three international engagements from Feb 15 to 25 in Vizag city. The IFR and Exercise MILAN would be conducted alongside the IONS Conclave of Chiefs, bringing together naval leaders and ships from several countries.
The IFR commences with a Presidential Banquet on Tuesday, followed by the Presidential Fleet Review at sea on Wednesday 18.
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