It is without doubt the largest warship ever to be operated by the Indian Navy. But if there is a record for the longest time spent by an Indian warship in a shipyard, the INS Vikramaditya would hold that too. After a long a painful process of renegotiations, price escalations and delays, India's new aircraft carrier finally seems to be on its way home.

The refurbished ship  it was originally the Gorshkov, launched in 1982  is currently undergoing an exhaustive series of trials in the Barents Sea to test its weapon systems, flight operations, propulsion and communications.

If things go well  they did not last year when its steam boilers malfunctioned during what were then considered to be final tests  the warship will be ready for handing over to the Indian Navy on November 15, after which it begins its long journey to India for the formal commissioning. This, nine years after the order was placed in 2004.

Its designers and refurbishing engineers are confident that it will exceed expectations during the trials, with the head of the Sevmash shipyard  where it underwent the refit  going as far to say that it will achieve a top speed of 30 knots, against the required 28.

In a series of exclusive interactions with The Indian Express, Russian shipbuilders and designers who worked on the project for a decade give a detailed picture on what is driving the warship, the problems of the past and what the future holds for the Vikramaditya.

Price fix

After protracted negotiations that went on for several years, India signed a deal for the conversion of the retired Admiral Gorshkov aircraft cruiser into a modern aircraft carrier for the Navy that would be able to operate new-generation MiG 29 K fighters. Signed in the final months of the NDA government, the contract was unique in many ways.

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