The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Viraat, holding the Guinness World Record as the longest serving warship in the world, is set to be scrapped at Alang ship breaking yard in Gujarat. This decision was made in 2019 and is imminent.
The Legacy of INS Viraat
The INS Viraat, a Centaur class aircraft carrier weighing 27,800 tonnes, has a rich history. From 1959 to 1984, it served in the British Navy as HMS Hermes before being refurbished and commissioned into the Indian Navy in May 1987. Being the last of the light fleet carrier designs that started during the closing years of World War II (1939-45), the Centaur class carries considerable historical significance.
Operational History of INS Viraat
There are several notable events in Viraat’s service in the Indian Navy. It played a major role in Operation Jupiter in 1989 during the Sri Lankan Peacekeeping operation. Furthermore, it saw action during Op Parakram in 2001-2002, following the terrorist attack on Parliament.
Numerous indigenous and foreign helicopters have operated from the ship, including the Advance Light Helicopter ‘Dhruv’ and the Russian twin rotor Kamov-31.
Decommissioning and its Aftermath
INS Viraat was decommissioned in March 2017. Since then, the Navy had been bearing its upkeep costs such as electricity, water, and repairs. However, the vessel had also started occupying valuable space in the crowded Naval dockyard, bringing up discussions for its disposal.
Despite demands to prevent Viraat from meeting the fate of INS Vikrant, India’s first carrier that was scrapped, attempts to preserve the vessel were unsuccessful. Proposals to convert the aircraft carrier into a museum by the Navy did not materialize due to the lack of a “self-sustaining financially complete” proposal.
The Current State of Indian Aircraft Carriers
At present, India only operates the 44,500-tonne INS Vikramaditya, a refurbished Admiral Gorshkov procured from Russia in November 2013. The pandemic has disrupted trials of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-I), INS Vikrant, being built at the Cochin Shipyard.
Additionally, approval for a third aircraft carrier, the 65,000-tonne IAC-II (tentatively named INS Vishal), has been pending since May 2015. These carriers are integral to India’s naval strategy, as they bolster security in the Indo-Pacific seas, protect trade routes, and maintain regional peace.
Efforts for Preservation
There were plans from the states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to preserve the aircraft carrier by transforming it into a museum. Unfortunately, these never came through because no viable financial proposal was presented to sustain the preservation efforts. Consequently, the vessel is set to be scrapped, marking the end of an era in India’s naval history.