The Maharashtra government argued that the project of having a maritime museum on the ship was not viable considering the expenditure involved, while the Centre submitted that the ship's life was over and therefore it would be dangerous to house a museum on the carrier.

Additional Solicitor General Kevic Setalvad for the Union government said the state government had withdrawn the proposal to convert the ship into a maritime museum. The bench headed by Chief Justice Mohit Shah said, "we will be happy if 'Vikrant' (converted) into a maritime museum but we cannot force the state to do that. It is the choice of the government to have a maritime museum on the ship or erect a statue (of Chhatrapti Shivaji) in the sea. It depends on their policy"