HMS Indomitable was a modified Illustrious-class aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy during World War II.

Over the next few days Indomitable was part of a force that attempted to intercept the Japanese fleet at night, where the slow but radar-equipped British torpedo planes would have the best chance of a successful strike.

Despite several days of searching, no decisive action was achieved and Somerville eventually withdrew his fast carriers to Bombay.

Hermes, the Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire, the corvette HMS Hollyhock and two heavy cruisers, Cornwall and Dorsetshire, were sunk in action during this Japanese raid, as were a score of merchant ships.

It was feared that the Japanese would themselves occupy Madagascar and use it as a submarine base to attack Allied convoy routes in the Indian Ocean.

Indomitable's air wing attacked Arrachart airfield on the opening day of the invasion, destroying five Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighters and damaging two more as well as two Potez 63.11s.

[6] On 8 May, the French submarine Monge attempted to torpedo Indomitable but was sunk by depth charges from the destroyers HMS Active and Panther.

She was soon back in action, participating in Operation Pedestal, the largest convoy to supply the besieged island of Malta.

This convoy comprised 14 cargo ships and an unprecedentedly large escort of warships: Cairo, Charybdis, Eagle, Indomitable, Victorious, Kenya, Manchester, Nelson, Nigeria, Phoebe, Rodney, Sirius and 32 destroyers.

One 500 kg bomb penetrated the unarmoured portion of the flight deck, causing damage that required her to withdraw for repairs, although she was able to steam at 28.5 knots (52.8 km/h; 32.8 mph) fewer than two hours after the hits.

She sailed to Liverpool's Gladsone Dock, where repairs were completed in February 1943, after which she worked up off Scapa Flow and in the Clyde area before returning to the Mediterranean in the build-up to Operation Husky.

In August, with the war ending, Indomitable supported the liberation of Hong Kong, arriving after a landing party from HMCS Prince Robert had taken the Japanese surrender.

Her aircraft flew the carrier's last combat missions of the war and of her career on 31 August and 1 September against Japanese suicide boats which were attacking British forces.