INS Vikramaditya To Be Delivered In November, According To Officials

The much-delayed 44,570-tonne aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya has finally completed its extensive sea trials in Russia and is all set to be delivered to India in mid-November, according to an official. 

"The carrier will now head back to the harbour at Severodvinsk. It will then be made ready for the commissioning on November 15. It will reach Indian shores, with an Indian crew commanded by Captain Suraj Berry, in early-2014," a Russian official was quoted as saying by The Times Of India.

India has paid $2.33 billion for Vikramaditya's refit, instead of the original $974 million earmarked in the January 2004 contract under which the carrier was to be originally delivered by August 2008.

India will spend an additional $2 billion to induct 45 Russian MiG-29K naval fighters to operate from the decks of INS Vikramaditya and the under-construction INS Vikrant, which has also been delayed until 2018.

The INS Vikramaditya was to be inducted into the Indian Navy by last December, as per the then re-revised timeframe, but serious engine and boiler malfunctions during the trials delayed the delivery by another year.

Given the huge delays in both the projects, the Indian Navy will continue to flog its old warhorse, the 54-year-old INS Viraat, which is left with just 11 Sea Harrier jump-jets to operate from its deck, till 2018. The delays have also derailed the Navy's long-stated aim to operate two full-fledged carrier battle groups (CBGs) anytime soon, the report added.