PM Modi Commissions First India-Made Aircraft Carrier Amid China Concerns

The INS Vikrant is the ‘largest ship ever built' in India’s maritime history

Indian navy officers gather on the deck of the Indian indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant during its commissioning at Cochin Shipyard in Kochi, India, on Sept. 2, 2022. - India debuted its first locally made aircraft carrier, a milestone in government efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign arms and counter China's growing military assertiveness in the region. Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images

India has commissioned its first domestically built aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, as the country seeks to bolster its navy capabilities amid growing concerns over the Chinese regime’s assertiveness in the region.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted the 262-meter-long and 62-meter-tall aircraft carrier at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd. in Kochi on Sept. 2. The INS Vikrant can carry 1,600 sailors and displaces about 43,000 tons, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Defense.