INS Vikramaditya

Defence India Ship

December 4, 2013

A commemorative postage stamp on the I.N.S. Vikramaditya, a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier of Indian Navy :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 4, 2013

Issued for : Department of Posts is happy to release a Commemorative Postage Stamp on INS Vikramaditya.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC : Suresh Kumar
Cancellation : Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Mint condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.41 Million (0.1 million for the Proponent)

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About :

INS Vikramaditya, named after Vikramaditya the legendary king of Ujjain famed for his valour, wisdom and magnanimity, has been procured from Russia. The erstwhile “Admiral Gorshkov” named Russian heavy aircraft carrying cruiser, commissioned in the Russian Navy in 1987 has been modified to a conventional aircraft carrier at Sevmash Shipyard, Severodvinsk for use by the Indian Navy.
Vikramaditya has been converted to a Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) aircraft carrier. The work in refurbishing the ship involved extensive refit and modernisation of its hull, machinery and systems, incorporating improved electronics, a ski jump and an arrester gear system. The carrier is a 44,500 tonne steam powered ship of 1,80,000 HP. The ship has a maximum speed of 29 knots with a range of 7000 nm at 18 knots speed. The 10,800 square meter of flight deck has a runway of 195 meters length along with 14-degree ski jump and a three-wire arrester gear system, to aid Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) operations of the MiG 29K aircraft. In addition to the MIG-29K, the ship operates the Sea Kings, Ka-28 Anti Submarine Warfare, Ka-31 Airborne Early Warning and Search and Rescue helicopters like Chetak. These aircraft provide the requisite Air Defence, Air Strike and Anti Submarine Warfare capabilities enabling the Carrier Task Force to project power and control at extended ranges.
The induction of Vikramaditya into the Indian Navy has significantly enhanced the combat power of the Indian Navy, with extended reach and rapid response capability in undertaking operations within hostile aerial maritime strike range. The integral air element of Vikramaditya comprising of jet fighters and combat helicopters are a vital force multiplier, essential to warfighting and any operational task necessitating force protection, either at or from sea, exercising sea control over a larger area.
Vikramaditya is indeed the mightiest ship in the arsenal of Indian Navy providing mobility, flexibility and strike potential thereby ensuring enhancement of both, its power and radius of action. Vikramaditya’s presence in the Indian Ocean makes the Indian Navy, a predominant force in the region and empowers India to play a stronger and significant role in the International Maritime Scenario.
Text : Based on the material furnished by the proponent.