Kochi: India's first indigenous aircraft carrier -- INS Vikrant -- the largest ship ever built in India's maritime history, will be commissioned here on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived here on Thursday, will commission the warship, housing state-of-the-art automation features and built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore, at the Cochin Shipyard.
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The Prime Minister will also unveil the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), doing away with the colonial past on the occasion.
Modi has described September 2 as a "landmark day for India's efforts to become Aatmanirbhar in the defence sector" as the first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant will be commissioned.
A host of dignitaries including Defence Minister Rajnath, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Governor Arif Mohamad Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and top officials of Navy and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) will attend the one-and-a-half hour long commissioning ceremony being organised at the shipyard. (PTI)
