Defence minister Rajnath Singh boards INS Vikrant, meets Indian Navy troops in Goa
Defence minister Rajnath Singh met with Indian Navy personnel aboard INS Vikrant on Friday during his visit to Goa, amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.
INS Vikrant is the fourth aircraft carrier operated by the Indian Navy, following the first British-origin INS Vikrant (1961–1997), INS Viraat (1987–2016), and the Russian-origin INS Vikramaditya (2013–present). The carrier is named after India's first aircraft carrier.
Commissioned into service two years ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, INS Vikrant was built over 13 years at a cost of ₹20,000 crore. The 45,000-tonne vessel boasts 76% indigenous content, is 262 metres long, and includes 15 decks and 2,300 compartments.
It can carry up to 30 aircraft, accommodates a crew of 1,600, and has a range of 7,500 nautical miles, according to a previous report by Hindustan Times.
On Thursday, Rajnath Singh lauded two Indian Navy officers for overcoming significant physical and mental challenges during their journey aboard INSV Tarini, which began on October 2, 2024.
Two women officers, Lt Commander Dilna K and Lt Commander Roopa A, successfully completed a double-handed circumnavigation of the globe, anchoring at Goa's Mormugao Port on Thursday. The feat took just over eight months.
'Yes, we made it,' said the two officers as their yacht, INSV Tarini, reached the port for the flag-in ceremony, which was attended by Rajnath Singh.
Throughout their journey, the duo covered 25,400 nautical miles (around 50,000 km), crossing four continents, three oceans, and three Great Capes, while facing extreme weather conditions.
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