RAS question
INS Vikramaditya was originally a:
Correct answer: (D) Russian aircraft carrier.
INS Vikramaditya was originally the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, acquired by India after repair, refit and re-equipping.
Explanation
INS Vikramaditya traces back to Admiral Gorshkov, a Soviet/Russian Kiev-class aircraft carrier, so the right identification is Russian aircraft carrier. The PIB Ministry of Defence release records that aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, described as ex-Admiral Gorshkov, was acquired from Russia after repair, refit and re-equipping, and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 16 November 2013. That matches the standard exam explanation: India did not build Vikramaditya from scratch; it acquired and extensively refitted the Russian-origin platform. Its 44,500-tonne displacement, MiG-29K air wing and ski-jump STOBAR configuration are details of the refitted carrier, not evidence of a British, French or indigenous origin.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The British-origin carrier in Indian Navy memory is INS Viraat, originally HMS Hermes, whereas Vikramaditya is identified as ex-Admiral Gorshkov from Russia.
- (B) A French aircraft-carrier answer confuses the issue with France's Charles de Gaulle; the cited PIB record ties Vikramaditya to Russia, not France.
- (C) Indian-built aircraft carrier points to INS Vikrant (IAC-1), while Vikramaditya was acquired from Russia after repair, refit and re-equipping.
Concept
This tests defence technology and naval-platform identification within Science & Technology. RAS often uses such questions to separate imported, refitted platforms from indigenous systems.