India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier to enter wet docks soon

Kochi: India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) is likely to enter the 'wet' docks by the end of the year, with the first phase of construction of the carrier being complete. The ship is being built at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) for the Indian Navy.

One the ship enters the 'wet' basins India joins an elite club of nations that will be capable of designing and building carriers upwards of 40,000 tonnes.

The second phase will cover all balance work till the ship is delivered to the Navy in end-2014.

The ship was originally scheduled to enter the wet docks in 2010.

The keel of the IAC was laid in February 2009.

After receiving government sanction, design and construction began in January 2003 and the yard commenced steel cutting in April 2005. Construction work on ship blocks commenced in November 2006, as the ship was being constructed with modular units.