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INS Vikramaditya
StableThe carrier returned to major fleet activity in October 2025 following completion of its short refit at Cochin Shipyard.
On 20 October 2025, INS Vikramaditya appeared in an Indian Navy steampast off Goa, confirming its return to fleet activity after a five-month short refit reported complete on 13 May 2025. The 44,500-tonne STOBAR carrier operates MiG-29K fighters and helicopters and remains one of India's two operational aircraft carriers. Its readiness matters because India needs continuous carrier availability across the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean while INS Vikrant develops its operational capability. The April 2025 purchase of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for both carriers points to a future air-wing transition, although Vikramaditya's current fixed-wing force remains the MiG-29K.
Updated 20 Oct 2025
Verified figures
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 284 m length × 60 m maximum beam ↗ |
| Displacement | 44,500 t ↗ |
| Propulsion | 8 steam boilers; 4 shafts; 180,000 shp total ↗ |
| Maximum speed | More than 30 kn ↗ |
| Range | More than 7,000 nmi (about 13,000 km) ↗ |
| Complement | 110 officers and 1,500 sailors ↗ |
| Aircraft complement | Up to 34 aircraft ↗ |
| Fixed-wing aircraft | MiG-29K carrier fighters ↗ |
| Air-wing strike armament | Anti-ship missiles, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, guided bombs and rockets ↗ |
| Sensor and EW surveillance reach | More than 500 km ↗ |
Spec sources: pib.gov.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗
Changelog
Program timeline
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INS Vikramaditya joined a naval steampast off Goa alongside INS Vikrant and other major Indian Navy combatants during the Prime Minister's Diwali visit to the fleet.
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Manorama reported completion of Vikramaditya's five-month short refit and dry docking at Cochin Shipyard, valued at ₹1,207.50 crore.
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India and France signed a ₹63,000 crore agreement for 26 Rafale Marine aircraft—22 single-seat and 4 twin-seat aircraft—for operation from INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.
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The Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth more than ₹1,200 crore with Cochin Shipyard for Vikramaditya's short refit and dry docking.
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INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant conducted twin-carrier operations involving more than 35 aircraft in the Arabian Sea.
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The Naval Light Combat Aircraft completed its first ski-jump take-off from Vikramaditya one day after making its first arrested landing aboard the carrier.
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INS Vikramaditya was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Russia.
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