INS Vikramaditya on Monday paid special tributes to the frontline Covid-19 warriors

New Delhi: The Indian Navy's mighty air carrier INS Vikramaditya on Sunday paid special tributes to the frontline workers dealing with coronavirus pandemic by symbolically "punching" the deadly Coronavirus.

"#INSVikramaditya the pride of #India symbolically punches the #CoronaVirus on its deck as #ArmedForces pay tribute to the #CoronaWarriors," PRO Defence Mumbai tweeted with a short 41-second video.

In the video, a clenched fist, lit in green colour lights, is dealing a blow to a symbolic coronavirus-like figure lit with red colour lights on the deck of INS Vikramaditya.

The video, going viral on social media, is a part of Indian armed forces' day-long exercise to pay tributes to the frontline workers dealing with Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

In the evening, Navy ships docked at major ports, including Mumbai and Chennai, will be lit up.

The mega armed forces exercise saw flypasts by fighter jets over state capitals, aerial flower shower and performances by military bands outside hospitals.

The "gesture of special gratitude" was announced on Friday by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs.

The country is currently under the third phase of lockdown imposed to contain the highly contagious virus.

The highly contagious virus has so far infected more than 40,000 people in the country with more than 1,000 deaths.