It does make one wonder though why we sell on ships supposedly past their sell by date, that go onto serve another 30 years of front line service in another man's navy, it makes you wonder if we really are getting value for money from some of our assets.
In think the UK got her money out of the Hermes....
As for serving on with other nations for many more years, I think there is some distinction between serving in front line service with a top tier Navy and "lingering" on in a second or third life- even it is regarded as "front line". Most US and UK Navy ships seem to have been run quite hard while in main service, but by and large got some level of support and upgrades during their active service. After 30 or so years they are tired. As they aged they needed more care and in some cases they got it- but in many cases the level of support drops off and the new owner does enough to keep them running, but not really the same level of support- and they are really not really top tier assets any more. While India did well with keeping the ex-Hermes going (and the earlier Virant), I think most analysts would agree that these ships were no longer top assets on the world stage, even if they were the flagship of the Nation. Several nations wanted the status of being a carrier nation, but in reality the ships got few underway days- and some lingered on well past their prime. Many passed down warships see far fewer steaming hours than they did in prior lives. Maintaining aging warships properly requires massive investments. Much like keeping a 20+ plus year old car in top condition. Sometimes buying new is the way to go, but for many nations buying used is all they can afford. Manning is another issue. It takes a large number of sailors to keep an aging steam powered ship running.
Please this is no slight on the professional sailors from India or any other nation- just a comment that there are some differences and distinctions between "front line" service.
The 25 de Mayo was in "front line" service decades after the Majestic's had been retired/sold off by the UK.