Article Posted on : - Apr 05, 2021

India's Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 'Vikrant'. A file photo

KOCHI (PTI): Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, who was at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi for a two-day visit, has reviewed the progress of work on the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) being constructed at the Cochin Shipyard, a Defence spokesman said.

General Rawat visited the shipyard on Sunday evening.

He was accompanied by Vice Admiral A K Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command and other top officials of the SNC, the spokesman said.

Vice Admiral Chawla and senior officials of the Shipyard briefed the Chief of Defence Staff on the progress of work of the IAC, he said.

Last December, IAC had entered the final phase of the project, after successfully conducting its Basin Trials at the Shipyard. “Basin Trial” is testing of the ship machinery and equipment in floating conditions before the sea trials.

After conducting the trials, the Navy had said the sea trials were planned in the first half of this year.

Earlier in the day, General Rawat reviewed the training infrastructure at Southern Naval Command, which is the Training Command of the Indian Navy.

General Rawat, who arrived on Saturday evening, also visited various professional training schools and witnessed the Damage Control Training Facility at the naval base.

He was also apprised of the environmental initiatives undertaken by the Command, the spokesman said.

This is his first visit to this southern port city after taking over as Chief of Defence Staff.