Kolkata, August 26: The aircraft carrier built at the Cochin Shipyard would be launched by 2012, Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said here today.
Following the launch, the aircraft carrier would be operationalised after a certain time lag, he told reporters.
As per the Indian Navy’s perspective maritime plan, the country which has a vast coastline was in dire need of aircraft carriers to protect its economic assets during peace time. It needed at least three aircraft carriers at any given point, out of which only one – INS Viraat was in operation, he said.
The Russia-built Admiral Gorshkov is likely to be inducted by 2012, for which the Indian government is still negotiating.
While the initial cost of refurbishment of Gorshkov was put at USD one billion, this has been revised to USD three billion.
“India wants to settle at a reasonable price,” he said, adding Admiral Gorshkov would be renamed ‘INS Vikramaditya’.
—Agencies