First Made-In-India aircraft carrier INS Vikrant commissioned: 10 Facts-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday commissioned INS Vikrant - the first made-in-India aircraft carrier - at a ceremony in Kochi, Kerala. He described INS Vikrant as 'large, grand, distinct and special'. PM Modi, who received a Guard of Honour as he arrived at the shipyard, said India had now joined an elite league of nations with their own aircraft carriers and had taken 'another step towards being a developed nation'.

On such a landmark event in India's naval history, here are 10 key facts about INS Vikrant:

INS Vikrant is the largest ship ever built in India's maritime history, built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore

It is ever indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier

3. It is named after India's first aircraft carrier in service from 1961 to 1997) which had played a significant role in 1971 war against Pakistan.

4. INS Vikrant has over 2,300 compartments with providing employment opportunities for over 2,000 CSL personnel and about 12,000 employees in ancillary industries. It also include specialised cabins to accommodate women officers and sailors.

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It is 262 m long, 62 m at the widest part and depth of 30 m minus the superstructure. There are 14 decks in all, including five in the superstructure; maximum designed speed of 28 knots with endurance of 7500 nautical miles

With its commissioning, India joins an elite league with US, UK, Russia, China and France- countries capabilities to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier

INS Vikrant was designed by Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited

8. Capable of supporting 30 aircraft; MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 and MH-60R multi-role helicopters, Advanced Light Helicopters and Light Combat Aircraft to be deployed on ship

Aircraft landing trials will begin in November, to be completed by mid-2023

10. With INS Vikrant, the Indian Navy will have two functional aircraft carriers, the other being INS Vikramaditya.