New Delhi: The  Naval Pilots on Monday carried out landing of LCA(Navy) on INS Vikrant, earning appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who described the move as 'excellent'.

"Excellent! The efforts towards Aatmanirbharta are on with full vigour," Modi tweeted.

The landing of LCA(Navy) on deck has demonstrated ‘AatmaNirbharta’ in India’s capability to design, develop, construct and operate indigenous Aircraft Carrier with indigenous Fighter Aircraft.

"It is indeed a landmark achievement being the first time that trials of a prototype aircraft - indigenously designed & produced by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has been successfully undertaken on an indigenous Aircraft Carrier," read a statement issued by the Indian Navy.

Further, the landing of MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant is also a significant achievement as it marks the successful integration of the aircraft with the indigenous carrier as well as further enhances the Combat Readiness of the Navy. 

"The successful landing and take off of the indigenous LCA Navy on India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is a momentous step forward towards the realisation of our collective vision of AatmaNirbharBharat. The maiden landing of the Mig-29K also heralds the integration of the fighter aircraft with INS Vikrant. Congratulations to all those who made it happen," said Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff.

INS Vikrant is the first indigenous Aircraft Carrier and the most complex warship ever built by our country.

The ship had sailed for maiden Sea Trials on Aug 4, 2021.

Since then, she has undergone sea sorties for trials of Main Propulsion, Power Generation equipment, Fire Fighting systems, Aviation Facility Complex equipment etc.

The Carrier was commissioned into the Indian Navy on Sept 2 September, 2022.