INS Vikrant to be commissioned on September 2; here are 5 things to know

The first indigenous carrier, IAC-1, which has been constructed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd, will soon be commissioned as INS Vikrant on September 2. The warship will play the role of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, said Vice Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral S N Ghormade on Thursday.

The aircraft landing trials on board INS Vikrant will begin in November and will be completed by mid-2023, a PTI report said.

INS Vikrant will be commissioned in Cochin in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the vice chief said, adding the equipment for the aircraft carrier has been manufactured in 18 states and union territories.

The Navy has been pitching for three aircraft carriers to deal with China's growing influence over the Indian Ocean. At present, India has only one aircraft carrier -- INS Vikramaditya -- which was bought from Russia in 2014. Alongside INS Vikramditya, the Navy will then operate two 44,000-tonne carriers.

The Navy is in the process of procuring 26 deck-based aircraft and it has narrowed down on Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and French aerospace major Dassault Aviation's Rafale aircraft.

With the construction of 'Vikrant', India has joined a select group of nations such as the US, the UK, Russia, China and France, having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier.

Here are five things to know about INS Vikrant:

1. The INS Vikrant has over 2,200 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,600 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers.

2. Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.

3. The warship is 262 metres long, 62 metres wide and it has a height of 59 metres. Its construction began in 2009.

4. The Navy said the ship is powered by four gas turbines totalling 88 MW power.

5. The project represents Indian unity as the aircraft carrier has been manufactured in 18 states and union territories, including places such as Kolkata, Jalandhar, Kota, Pune, Delhi, Ambala, Hyderabad and Indore.