Gorshkov to be commissioned by end of 2013: Navy chief

Addressing the annual Navy Day press conference here, he also said that a "good news for the nation" regarding indigenously developed nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant will be made "very soon".

"There has been a delay in the delivery of INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov), which has sailed for more than 100 days in the recent past and completed a majority of her equipment and aviation trials. The revised schedule envisages the delivery of the ship in the last quarter of 2013," he said.

On the present status of INS Arihant, he said, "We expect to have good news for the nation very soon."

The vessel was expected to be launched for sea trials soon as part of efforts towards completing India's nuclear triad and achieving a credible and invulnerable retaliatory strike capability.

Accepting that the development of Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) too has been delayed, Joshi said that the project is finally "picking up pace" at the Kochi shipyard.

"The construction of the IAC though delayed is now picking up pace at Kochi Shipyard," he said.

On future inductions in the force in the next one year, he said, "In 2013, we expect to induct one Kolkata-class destroyer, one P-28 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvette, one Catamaran Hull Survey Vessel, one Offshore Patrol Vessel and sixteen Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC)." (More)