CSL welcomed President Shri Ram Nath Kovind on his maiden visit to IAC Vikrant

New Delhi: The president of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind made his maiden visit to Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant yesterday. during his visit, Cochin Shipyard Limited's Chairman and Managing Director Shri Madhu S Nair welcomed Hon'ble President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind to Cochin Shipyard.

Hon'ble President Shri Kovind, the first lady Mrs. Savitha Kovind their daughter Ms. Swati, hon'ble Kerala Governor Shri Arif Mohammad Khan, Minister Shri P Rajeev, Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, FOC-in-C South, and Shri Madhu S Nair, also presented on-board IAC Vikrant.

INS Vikrant, also known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 (IAC-1), is an aircraft carrier constructed by the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the Indian Navy. It is the first aircraft carrier to be built in India. It is named 'Vikrant' as a tribute to India's first aircraft carrier, Vikrant (R11). 

Work on the ship's design began in 1999, and the keel was laid in February 2009. The carrier was floated out of its dry dock on 29 December 2011and was launched on 12 August 2013. The basin trials were completed in December 2020, and the ship started sea trials in August 2021.

Vikrant is scheduled to be commissioned into service by August 2022, with flight trials of aircraft expected to be completed by mid-2023. The total cost of the project was approximately Rs. 23,000 crore (US$3.1 billion) at the time of first sea trials

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