Navy carries out combined operations of INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant

The Indian Navy showcased its maritime capabilities today with a spectacular display of multi-carrier operations and the coordinated deployment of more than 35 aircraft in the Arabian Sea. This demonstration of naval prowess underscores India’s commitment to safeguarding its national interests, maintaining regional stability, and fostering cooperative partnerships in the maritime domain, an official press release said.

It also marks a significant milestone in the Navy’s pursuit of enhancing maritime security and power-projection in the Indian Ocean and beyond. The exercise involved seamless integration of two aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and the indigenously built INS Vikrant, along with a diverse fleet of ships, submarines, and aircraft, showcasing India’s technological expertise in the maritime domain.

INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, centre-pieces of the exercise, serve as ‘floating sovereign airfields,’ providing a launch platform for a wide array of aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter jets, MH60R, Kamov, Sea King, Chetak and ALH helicopters.

These mobile bases can be positioned anywhere, allowing for increased mission flexibility, timely response to emerging threats, and sustained air operations to safeguard our national interests across the globe. In addition, they provide our friends with an assurance that the Indian Navy is capable and ready to support our ‘collective’ security needs in the region, the release said.

The successful demonstration of two-carrier battle group operations serves as a powerful testament to the pivotal role of sea-based air power in maintaining maritime superiority. As India continues to strengthen its security apparatus, significance of aircraft carriers will remain paramount in shaping the nation’s defence strategy and promoting regional stability, the release said.