Vikrant's steel problem creates a domestic capability

Indian naval explanations emphasize late overseas deliveries and the difficulty of persuading some domestic suppliers to join a bespoke project. The book regards part of that criticism as disingenuous in light of management weaknesses, while accepting that serious supply-chain problems existed. When planned purchases of warship-quality steel from Russia reached a commercial impasse, India's Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory developed a domestic high-tensile formulation. The Steel Authority of India put three DMR-249 grades into production for the hull and internal structure, flight deck, and machinery-space decks. The quantity produced for the carrier is estimated at up to 30,000 tons. Establishing that capability took substantial time and added to the program's delay.