The Indian Navy has agreed to hand over INS Viraat to the Government of Andhra Pradesh after decommissioning it in June. It will be based off Visakhapatnam coast for promotion of tourism in the State.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu made the announcement at a media conference in Vijayawada on the conclusion of the International Fleet Review (IFR)
INS Viraat, which also participated in the IFR, would be used by the AP government for tourism promotion.
The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA), the Navy and a private company would be involved in the exercise, which would give a great boost to tourism in the State.
The Andhra Pradesh government spent over ₹130 crore on the event and the VUDA over ₹80 crore in beautifying the city for the IFR. More than 15,000 policemen were deployed for the event apart from the naval staff.