Body Of Decommissioned Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat To Be Sold As Scrap, Says MoD

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik revealed to the Parliament that the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which was decommissioned from the Indian Navy in 2017, is going to be scrapped, reports The Hindu.

“INS Viraat could not be handed over to any State Government because of non-receipt of a self-sustaining financially complete proposal. Thus, in view of considerations of safety, security etc., a decision to scrap INS Viraat has been taken in due consultation with Indian Navy,” Naik told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The minister explained that large expenses had to be incurred on the ship, including on repairs, water and electricity.

Previous proposals to turn the ship’s body into a kind of museum have not been successful in moving forward.

INS Viraat was in the news in recent months over accusations of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi using it to travel on family vacations. The carrier had been obtained from the British Navy after refurbishment in 1987, and had since spent around 30 years in the Indian Navy.