Independence day
INDIAN NAVY
India marked the 75th anniversary of its independence with the commissioning of INS Vikrant (R11), its first domestically produced aircraft carrier. The occasion was also used to reveal a new naval ensign, the fourth such amendment since 1950. The latest version features the seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, with the ‘colonial’ St George’s cross being removed.
Described by the Prime Minister as an ‘historic day and landmark achievement’, Vikrant is the largest warship to be built in India, with 76 per cent of her components indigenously procured. Half a dozen major industrial firms and more than 100 smaller businesses provided equipment and machinery. Naturally, such an ambitious project has encountered problems. The ship is six years late, and has suffered a sixfold
