It was in refit at the state-owned yard for about six months, the officials said. The development comes at a time when India is negotiating a deal with France for 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for INS Vikrant, which is currently operating the MiG-29K fighters from its deck.

The deal for the twin-engine deck-based French fighters, built for sustained combat operations at sea, is estimated to be worth around ₹50,000 crore.

#INSVikrant, India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, joined the @IN_WesternFleet, in a significant enhancement to the maritime power and reach of the #IndianNavy’s ‘Sword Arm’. The Carrier Battle Group led by @IN_Vikramaditya inducted @IN_R11Vikrant with a multi domain exercise and twin Carrier fighter operations in the Arabian Sea,” the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command said in a post on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned the aircraft carrier into the navy two years ago. It was built over 13 years at a cost of ₹20,000 crore.

The 45,000-tonne aircraft carrier has an indigenous content of 76%. It is 262 metres long, houses 15 decks, 2,300 compartments, has enough room for 30 aircraft, a crew of 1,600 and has an endurance of 7,500 nautical miles.

India has been operating aircraft carriers for decades. Vikrant is the fourth aircraft carrier to be operated by the navy after the first INS Vikrant (British origin) from 1961 to 1997, INS Viraat (British origin) from 1987 to 2016 and INS Vikramaditya (Russian-origin) 2013 onwards. It is named after India’s first aircraft carrier.