Navy's former aircraft carrier INS Viraat to be decommissioned on March 6

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Viraat, which was first commissioned in the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987, will be decommissioned from service on March 6.

A press briefing and interaction regarding the same will be organised by the navy on February 27.

The former flagship aircraft carrier that served the navy for 27 years had previously served the United Kingdom Royal Navy for 27 years.

INS Viraat which is the oldest surviving warship in the world also holds a Guinness world record for the same.

The first major operation undertaken by INS Viraat, as a part of the Indian Navy, was Operation Jupiter in July 1989. The aircraft carrier had also played a major role in Operation Parakram and Operation Vijay.

In February 2016, the ship was officially deployed for the last time in the International Fleet Review (IFR-2016) at Vishakhapatnam.