India's Aircraft Carriers

April 11th was a proud day for India. Construction began on the first indigeneously built aircraft carrier at the Cochin shipyard. Only three other countries have the ability to build aircraft carriers of this magnitude and no other developing country.

Aircraft carriers in the United States have been named after people: thus USS Eisenhower, Kennedy while the United Kingdom opts for human strengths, thus, HMS Invincible, Triumph, Victorious, Indefatigable, Implacable.

India on the other hand has chosen more abstract names for its aircraft carriers and in fact, the names were chosen through a lively discussion between the Prime Minister's Office and the Defence Ministry.

Before INS Vikrant (our first aircraft carrier) got its name, the following were discussed and rejected - (Source: bharat-rakshak.com)

Sumeru (being the name of an un-locatable mountain); Himalaya (was unthinkable having been a Pakistani frigate's name); Kailash and Vindhya (not inspiring enough)

Further names considered but rejected were: Everest (not in India); Nanga Parbat and Amarnath (not favoured by the then Defence Minister Krishna Menon who opined that naming aircraft carriers after mountain peaks was inconsistent with a ship known for her mobility as opposed to the immobility of a mountain).

And even more interesting are the mottos of the aircraft carriers ...

Vikrant - Jayema Sum Yudhisprudhah (We will defeat those who dare to fight)

Viraat - Jalameva Yasya Balmeva Tasya (only the strong will lord over the sea)

INS Viraat

The carrier that we just bought from Russia to replace INS Vikrant has been christened INS Vikramaditya (See below)



I wonder what the aircraft carrier under construction in Cochin will be called. What about INS Swadesi, considering its indigeneous nature ?