Carriers In Combat How Critical Is The Floating Airfield?

Chinese expansion plans and India’s great power requirements mean that the Indian Navy will have to splurge on aircraft carriers. But at the same time, India must not neglect the smaller ships, sub-surface vessels and other critical components that make a balanced fleet.

- Rakesh Krishnan Simha

China has taken a huge lead in Asia’s aircraft carrier race. While India is down to a lone carrier, Beijing has announced it is building its third flat top as part of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s plans to have four Carrier Battle Groups (CBGs) in service by 2030.

The PLA Navy, which is the second largest naval force by tonnage after the US Navy, currently has two carriers – the 67,000 ton Liaoning of Soviet origin and a locally built Type 001A, which displaces 70,000 tons. Centred on these flagships, the Chinese have three fleets:

The North Sea Fleet, based in the Yellow Sea and headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong Province.

The East Sea Fleet, based in the East China Sea and headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

The South Sea Fleet, based in the South China Sea and headquartered in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province.

Once all the four carriers are operational, the PLA Navy may establish a fourth fleet based in the Indian Ocean, posing a major challenge to India’s maritime security.

India’s response

Due to the neglect by the political leadership, the Indian Navy is playing catch-up. Because of inordinate delays in the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) programme, the Navy currently has only the 44,500 ton INS Vikramaditya, which means that each time the carrier goes in for maintenance the navy is without its flagship. In a 2016 report, the Comptroller & Auditor General said that the delivery of the IAC-I – to be named INS Vikrant – could be achieved only by 2023. However, the Navy says that the issues have been sorted out and that the 40,000 ton carrier will be available (without its aviation complex and missiles) for sea trials by 2020.