Rs 3,000-cr indigenous aircraft carrier

The Indian Navy has started the construction of an indigenous aircraft carrier with a 40,000-tonne displacement at an estimated cost of Rs 3,000 crore, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash said on Saturday.

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"Besides acquiring the 'Gorshkov' aircraft carrier from Russia, the Indian Navy has also started the construction -- at its Cochin shipyard -- of a totally indigenous aircraft carrier with a capacity of 25 aircraft," Admiral Prakash told reporters after the 69th passing-out parade at the Naval Academy in Panaji.

He declined to comment when asked if the navy had any plan to acquire a nuclear sub-marine. It is for the government to take a decision in the matter, he said. However, he said, "We will have to acquire a nuclear sub-marine eventually."

Downplaying the apparent shortage of officers in the navy, Admiral Prakash said, "We are short of only 100 officers or so. This is not a matter of concern for us right now, as this shortage is mainly due to our limited training facilities, which are in the process of expanding."