In a worrying development, the Kerala Police have said they are investigating a security breach at the Cochin Shipyard in Kochi, which is building India's first indigenous aircraft carrier. According to media reports, four hard drives of computers installed on board the under-construction aircraft carrier were found to be stolen.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), which displaces over 40,000 tonnes, is scheduled to be handed over to the Indian Navy by 2021 and commissioned into service by 2023. The vessel will be known as the INS Vikrant once it is in Indian Navy service.

According to media reports, four computers on board the aircraft carrier were vandalised to remove the hard drives.

Kerala Police chief Loknath Behera told The New Indian Express a special investigation team had been formed to probe the theft at the Cochin Shipyard. According to The New Indian Express, Cochin Shipyard lodged a complaint with the Kerala Police about the incident on Monday. The newspaper added the devices were on board the vessel till August 28.

Security at the Cochin Shipyard is under the purview of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

The incident has raised concerns about security at the aircraft carrier construction facility, which is tightly guarded. According to media reports, while CCTV cameras are installed at Cochin Shipyard, the surveillance sensors were not fitted on board the under-construction aircraft carrier.

The incident comes at a time when Cochin Shipyard is preparing to start trials of equipment on board the aircraft carrier. In July, the Indian Navy announced it would start running the gas turbine engines powering the ship by the “third quarter of this year”. The aircraft carrier is slated to begin sea trials by next year.

The Indian Navy has downplayed the theft, noting that the aircraft carrier is not yet part of the service. Indian Navy officials told mediapersons that no sensitive information of the Indian Navy was present on the stolen equipment.