INS Vikrant a result of past govts’ efforts: Congress; govt counters

The government maintained that it was because of the Congress party that the country had to wait for 75 years to get its first indigenous aircraft carrier.

The commissioning of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on Friday sparked a political war of words between the government and the Congress, with the latter reminding Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the aircraft carrier was a collective effort of all governments.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said INS Vikrant’s commissioning is a collective effort of all governments since 1999 (PTI)

The government, however, maintained that it was because of the Congress party that the country had to wait for 75 years to get its first indigenous aircraft carrier.

Officials argued that the then UPA defence minister AK Antony had told Parliament about the shortage of funds to modernise the forces and their equipment. But under the Modi government, India is exporting Made in India defence products worth ₹40,000 crore in 2022 and has built an indigenous aircraft carrier too, they said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted to congratulate the Indian Navy, the Naval Design Bureau and Cochin Shipyard “for the many years of hard work that has made the vision of INS Vikrant come true” and said “Vikrant is a significant step for India’s maritime security”.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said INS Vikrant’s commissioning is a collective effort of all governments since 1999. “Will PM acknowledge? Let’s also recall original INS Vikrant that served us well in 1971 war. Much reviled Krishna Menon played a key role in getting it from UK,” Ramesh tweeted.

Officials countered his argument and said the original INS Vikrant was from the UK while INS Vikrant 2.0 is indigenous. “There’s a difference and the difference is Made in India,” an official said. They also argued that the making of the indigenous aircraft carrier is a collective effort from the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM but it got delayed because of UPA.

Ramesh posted an old video and said, “Then defence minister AK Antony launched India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on 12.08.2013. The PM commissioned it today. A self-reliant (Aatmanirbhar) India existed before 2014. All other Prime Ministers would have acknowledged continuity in governance.”