New Delhi: In a sign of heightened interest over the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier — commissioned into the Indian Navy as the INS Vikramaditya last week — a United States military P-3 Orion maritime reconnaissance aircraft may have 'buzzed' and 'snooped on' the aircraft carrier, during sea-trials when it was still flying Russian colours.
Interest in the newly-refitted aircraft carrier, the second in the Indian Navy, is shared among the US and its Nato allies, as well as the Chinese People's Liberation Army-Navy.
The refitted Vikramidtya was handed over last Saturday to the Indian Navy at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Russia, after extensive sea-trials.
US and Chinese navies could put the Vikramaditya under surveillance through submarines or aircraft at sea, as it heads later this month for the Indian port of Karwar where it is expected to dock in early January 2014.
Given the potential for further snooping, the Indian Navy plans a strong “escort” comprising warships to “protect” the aircraft carrier “in every possible way”.
