'INS Vikramaditya will be a game-changer'

The "mother" will now get a "grandmother" for company. And while the former may be getting slightly toothless with age, the granny will pack a formidable punch capable of knocking down adversaries wanting to challenge her.

Known in naval circles as the "mother" since she was commissioned in 1987 as a second-hand warship bought from the UK, India's solitary aircraft INS Viraat is now 55-year-old.

Though it still constitutes two acres of sovereign Indian territory cruising on the high seas, this 28,000-tonne old warhorse is left with just 11 Sea Harrier jump-jets to operate from its deck.

On Saturday, it will get a granny almost double its size. INS Vikramaditya, the refurbished aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov packed with sensors and weapons, will join the Indian combat fleet when it's commissioned by defence minister A K Antony at Severodvinsk in Russia on November 16.  Read the full story here.

NDTV'S Nitin Gokhale tweets factoids on the ship.

INS Vikramaditya almost brand new ship. involved replacing 2300 kms of cable, which is a little short of half of the entire coastline of India!

Vikramaditya capable of sustaining herself at sea for 45 days. capable of ops up to a range of over 7,000 nautical miles or 13000 kms.