India Launches Its First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

India launched the Indian Navy Ship Vikrant with much fanfare on Aug. 12 from a dry dock in the city of Kochi. The INS Vikrant is the first vessel of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier program — India's effort to design and build its own aircraft carriers. The launch of the 40,000-ton INS Vikrant is a noteworthy milestone in the development of the Indian navy, highlighting the progress made thus far in New Delhi's shipbuilding and maritime efforts. However, the INS Vikrant continues to be hampered by numerous obstacles, including problems that plague Indian carrier development in general.