After 29 years in service, INS Viraat decommissioned

Indian Naval Ship Viraat, the oldest serving aircraft carrier, was decommissioned on March 6. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Updated on: Mar 7, 2017 1:35 AM IST

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Indian Naval Ship Viraat, the oldest serving aircraft carrier, was decommissioned on March 6. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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INS Viraat was the last of the Britist-built ship serving them. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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She has served a combined 56 years for the navy in two countries. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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INS Viraat, Oldest serving aircraft carrier was decommissioned at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Commissioned into the Royal Navy in November, 1959, as HMS Hermes, she served the British for 27 years before being decommissioned in 1984. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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India then bought the vessel and rechristened it INS Viraat, to be commissioned into the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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INS Viraat sailed using her own power for the last time from Mumbai to Kochi in July 2016. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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In October 2016, she was towed out of Kochi and returned to Mumbai. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Soon after commissioning, it saw active operations when it became part of Operation Jupiter in July 1989 as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka, after the Indo-Sri Lankan accord broke down. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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While with the Royal Navy, she had played a major role in the Falkland wars. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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The last of operational duties for INS Viraat came when she was deployed in the International Fleet Review in Viskhakapatnam in February 2016. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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The Navy had to decide on its fate, primarily due to the increasing operational costs to keep her battle ready. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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People take photos on board Viraat one last time. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)