NEW DELHI, India, Dec. 3, Renter: The Indian navy will prelaunch its aircraft carrier Vikrant in March, 1989, refurbished with high technology to carry newly acquired sea harrier jets, a top naval officer said on Thursday.
The Press Trust of India (PT!) quoted Vice Admiral S. Jain as saying Vikrant, the first of India’s two carriers, would be equipped ‘with high technology and a 150tonne ski jump for the jets bought recently from Britain.
India’s only other aircraft Cartier is the Viraat — the former British carrier Hermes, which joined the fleet last August after a thorough refit in Devonport, England.
Jain said with the addition earlier this year of two West German made submarines Shishumar
And Shankush — the Indian navy had taken “a giant step forward in its endeavor to be among the best in the world”.
He said the submarines were very silent and equipped with state-of-the-art technology to hunt enemies underwater.
PTI also quoted Jain as saying had ordered two more submarines being built for the Indian navy in Bombay were likely to be commissioned in 1990.
Naval officials declined to state the total number of submarines in service.
India has already sanctioned the first phase of a proposed multimillion dollar naval base at Karwar on the West Coast, Jain said ‘A navy spokesman said later Karwar would be the region’s largest naval base when completed in 15 ‘years, Defence analysts have said India has taken major steps to transform its 40yearold navy into a world class blue water force by the turn of the century.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 11, 1987
