Prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday commissioned INS Vikrant - the first made-in-India aircraft carrier - at a ceremony in Kochi in Kerala. As he did so, the prime minister described Vikrant as 'large, grand, distinct and special'. Modi, who received a Guard of Honour as he arrived at the shipyard, said India had now joined an elite league of nations with their own aircraft carriers and had taken 'another step towards being a developed nation'.
Designed by the Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Vikrant boasts state-of-the-art weapons and navigation and automation features. It is also the largest ship ever built in India's maritime history.
Here are PM Modi's top 5 quotes from the commissioning ceremony of INS Vikrant:
1. "Vikrant is large and grand, Vikrant is distinct, Vikrant is special. Vikrant is not just a warship, it is the evidence of the hardwork, talent, impact and commitment of India of the 21st century."
2. "Today, India joins the countries that build such large aircraft carriers with indigenous technology. Today, INS Vikrant has filled India with new trust...On this historic occasion, I express gratitude to Indian Navy, all engineers, scientists and workers of Cochin Shipyard."
3. "From the seashores of Kerala, every Indian is becoming a witness today to the sunrise of a new future. This ceremony on INS Vikrant is a call for the strengthening morale of India on a global horizon."
{{/usCountry}}3. "From the seashores of Kerala, every Indian is becoming a witness today to the sunrise of a new future. This ceremony on INS Vikrant is a call for the strengthening morale of India on a global horizon."
{{/usCountry}}4. "Every part of INS Vikrant has its own merits, a strength, its own development journey. It is a symbol of indigenous potential, indigenous resources and indigenous skills. The steel installed in its airbase is also indigenous."
5. "If the goals are quick, the journeys are long, the ocean and the challenges are endless – then India's answer is Vikrant. Vikrant is a unique reflection of India becoming self-reliant."