Mumbai, 9 April 2014

Indian war ship INS Vikrant (R-11) which played major role during year 1971 India-Pakistan war has been purchased by a ship breaking firm IB Commercial Private Limited through auction at a cost of Rs. 60 crore. The company is in process of taking INS Vikrant to Gujarat based Alang ship breaking yard to break it.

The war ship was decommissioned in year 1997. It was auctioned for Rs. 5.8 crore in year 1999. However then Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray opined against its auction and saved the ship to make a museum. The Maharashtra government however couldn’t do anything in this regard in later years. On the other hand, INS Vikrant was occupying a space which could be better utilized by active ships.

INS Vikrant was purchased in year 1957 from Britain. It was used to bomb the Karachi port in year 1971 Indo-Pak war.