Bajaj Auto is set to launch ‘V’, a new motorcycle brand on February 1. The bike contains the metal from India’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

While the details of the new bike are a closely guarded secret, industry sources say this is a 150 cc bike that will have the same engine as the Pulsar, and will come in more than one variant. It will be built at the company’s plants in Waluj and Pantnagar.

In a statement issued today, Eric Vas, President (Motorcycle Business), Bajaj Auto Ltd, said: “For the warship, the name Vikrant was taken from the Sanskrit word Vikrânta meaning stepping beyond, that is, courageous or bold. These qualities also form the essence of our new brand. We are confident that the bike will carry the spirit and legacy of INS Vikrant forward and become one of the most path-breaking motorcycles that customers will witness this year.” Commissioned in the Indian Navy in 1961, the Vikrant was decommissioned in January 1997 and after serving as a museum till 2012, was dismantled and sold as scrap metal in November 2014.

Bajaj Auto purchased the Vikrant metal and processed it to be a part of its new brand.

For decades, the INS Vikrant has been celebrated as the pride of the country and is synonymous with Indian military capabilities and power projection. “We are proud that Bajaj Auto is playing a role in keeping the legacy of India’s first aircraft carrier alive,” he added.

Related Topics