Historical! MiG-29K jets makes maiden landing on INS Vikrant

New Delhi [India], February 7 : Indian Navy took a significant step towards operationalising the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier's successful landing of MiG-29K on INS Vikrant by Naval Pilots demonstrating India's prowess in Aircraft Carrier design, construction and operations while enhancing the Navy's Combat Readiness.
On its official Twitter account, Indian Navy shared the video of MiG-29K landing on INS Vikrant with the caption, "Watch the maiden landing of MiG-29K onboard the #IndigenousAircraftCarrier #INSVikrant."
After the landing, Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, said in a press release, "The successful landing and take-off of the indigenous LCA Navy on India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is a momentous step forward towards the realisation of our collective vision of AatmaNirbharBharat. The maiden landing of the Mig-29K also heralds the integration of the fighter aircraft with INS Vikrant. Congratulations to all those who made it happen."
INS Vikrant is the first indigenous Aircraft Carrier and the most complex warship ever built by our country. It is a matter of pride that the ship has been designed in-house by Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and constructed by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited. The ship sailed for its maiden Sea Trials on 04 August 2021. Since then, she has undergone sea sorties for trials of Main Propulsion, Power Generation Equipment, Fire Fighting systems, Aviation Facility Complex equipment etc. The Carrier was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 02 September 2022, the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief Guest, as per the press release.
The construction of the Carrier is a big boost to the 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' vision of the Government of India. The Carrier has been undertaking extensive Air Operations with Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing aircraft since 13 December 2022 towards Air Certification and Flight Integration Trials for achieving the ultimate aim of being 'Combat Ready'. As part of the aviation trials, the landing of LCA (Navy) and MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant was carried out on 06 February 2023 by Indian Naval Test Pilots.
The landing of LCA(Navy) on deck has demonstrated 'AatmaNirbharta' in India's capability to design, develop, construct and operate indigenous Aircraft carriers with indigenous Fighter Aircraft. It is indeed a landmark achievement being the first time that trials of a prototype aircraft - indigenously designed & produced by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), have been successfully undertaken on an indigenous Aircraft Carrier. Further, the landing of MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant is also a significant achievement as it marks the successful integration of the aircraft with the indigenous carrier as well as further enhances the Combat Readiness of the Navy, the statement added.