When India first envisaged building it's own Carrier Warship, it first explored retro-fitting a Merchant Vessel.
"The indigenous carrier first took shape on the drawing board in 1979–80, when the Navy’s design bureau, the Directorate of Naval Design (DND; subsequently upgraded to Directorate General of Naval Design or DGND), prepared a concept design of a Helicopter Carrier based on the hull form of MV Harshavardhan, a merchant vessel."
The quest to build India's own Aircraft Carrier had more twists & turns than an unhinged Amusement Park Roller Coaster. With helping hands lent from time to time by the likes of Russia, Italy, France, Netherlands & the US, India is set to induct it into service, later this year in August 2022. The full story of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 [IAC-1] can be read in the Book 'Blue Waters Ahoy! The Indian Navy 2001- 2010'.
Godspeed
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