INS Vikrant (R11)

INS Vikrant (R11)

INS Vikrant (R11) (Hindi: विक्रान्‍त) (formerly HMS Hercules (R49)) was a Majestic class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. She played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade on East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

India purchased the INS Vikrant from the United Kingdom in 1957. Upon her completion in 1961, she was commissioned as the first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. After a distinguished service, she was decommissioned in January 1997. She has since been preserved as a maritime museum in Cuff Parade, Mumbai.