Prime Minister Narendra Modi will commission INS Vikrant — India’s indigenously built aircraft carrier — on September 2 in Kochi.

Sources in the Indian Navy said Vikrant would enhance India’s maritime operational capabilities amid the growing presence of the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean region.

“The INS Vikrant will enhance our naval’s firepower and operational capabilities to counter China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean region. The ship will sail after commissioning on September 2,” said an Indian Navy official.

India currently has INS Vikaramaditya as the only operational aircraft carrier, which is under maintenance now.

The commissioning of INS Vikrant has assumed greater significance amid the ongoing border standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh where the People’s Liberation Army has opened several fronts since April 2020 and is estimated to have taken over nearly 1,000sqkm of India-claimed territory.

According to a defence ministry official, the new warship will have a fleet of 30 aircraft — 18 MiG 29s and 12 choppers. Besides Kamov military helicopters, the newly inducted MH60 Romeo helicopters bought from the US, with potent anti-submarine warfare capabilities, will also be on board. The flying deck is 262 metres in length and 62.4 metres wide, which is as good as two football grounds in terms of area, and it has two demarcated runways with spots circled for helicopters.

Vikrant is India’s largest warship and has a capacity to displace 43,000 tonnes when fully loaded and can accommodate 1,600 personnel that include specialised cabins to accommodate women officers and sailors.

Sources said India was worried over growing influence of China in the Indian Ocean region.

“The Chinese PLA has been taking assertive stance in the South China Sea and is challenging India’s domination in the region. China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean region is a matter of great concern,” a navy official said.

The Indian navy, he said, has been on an operational preparedness in the Indian Ocean region and has stepped up surveillance amid China’s attempt to stake claim to large portions of the disputed South China Sea. The navy’s eastern fleet has also increased deployment of ships in the Indian Ocean region around the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Besides army and air force helicopters and fighter aircraft, the navy’s P81-anti-submarine warfare aircraft are flying in Ladakh to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance.

Sources said Chinese research and fishing vessels had been active and it had deployed three warships in the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean region. “So far, there is no infringement of India’s maritime boundaries,” an official said.

He said to enhance its anti-drone capabilities in the seas, the Indian Navy is also in the process of procuring Smash 2000 rifles that can take down UAVs meant to carry out combat operations.

The navy, the official said, has written to the Centre on the pressing need to have a third aircraft carrier to enhance its maritime capabilities and air operations that are critical in the seas.