When you read news articles about India's massive military strength or watch movies about the sea, you will constantly see the prefix INS attached to the names of massive warships (like INS Vikrant or INS Arihant).
In the Indian military, the full form of INS is Indian Naval Ship (or Indian Navy Ship).
Military Full Form: Indian Naval Ship.
Usage: It is a mandatory prefix added before the name of every single commissioned warship and submarine in the Indian Navy.
US Equivalent: USS (United States Ship).
UK Equivalent: HMS (His/Her Majesty's Ship).
Famous Example: INS Vikrant (India's massive, proudly indigenous aircraft carrier).
A ship prefix is a strict international military tradition. Just like a doctor puts 'Dr.' before their name, the navy puts a prefix before the name of the ship to officially declare which country the deadly warship belongs to.
The INS title is given to many different types of highly advanced war machines operated by the Indian Navy:
If you are reading American legal news or watching a Hollywood movie about borders, the full form of INS is completely different. It stands for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (the old US government agency that handled visas and illegal immigrants, now known as ICE).
In the Indian Navy, the full form of INS stands for Indian Naval Ship.
It means 'Indian Naval Ship Vikrant'. Vikrant is the specific name of the ship (meaning 'Courageous' in Sanskrit), and INS is its official military title.
No. Civilian cruise ships and cargo vessels usually use the prefix MV (Merchant Vessel) or SS (Steam Ship). The INS prefix is strictly reserved for armed military warships.
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