Vikrant sails, push for 3rd aircraft carrier now

A naval engineer works at the Control Room of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard in Kochi, (PTI Photo)

The second indigenous aircraft carrier is slated to be called INS Vishal and is proposed to have displacement of around 65,000 tonnes, equalling the Queen Elizabeth-class of carriers of the UK. Once given an approval, the carrier may take years to complete.

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The Russian-origin Kiev-class INS Vikramaditya was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2013. The modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier had earlier served as Admiral Gorshkov in the Russian Navy from 1987 to 1996. When INS Vikramaditya was inducted, the British origin Centaur-class Aircraft carrier INS Viraat was nearing retirement and it was decommissioned in July 2016.

Kochi: A naval engineer works inside the electric room of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard in Kochi, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Currently Indian Navy finds itself in a situation that INS Vikramditya has been undergoing a major refit since December 2020 and is expected to return to active service soon. Meanwhile, the latest addition INS Vikrant is yet to be fully operational. The Navy has said that deck integration trials of fixed wing aircraft and exploitation of aviation facility complex will be carried out post-commissioning.

Meanwhile, China which currently operates two carriers — Liaoning and Shandong — has launched its third aircraft carrier, Fujian, earlier this year. Two more aircraft carriers are said to be in the pipeline. The third aircraft carrier will further affirm India’s standing as a ‘Blue Water Navy’ — a maritime force with global reach and capability to operate over deep seas.

Navy personnel inside the kitchen area of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard in Kochi, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. (PTI Photo)

In one of its concluding comments, the Standing Committee in its December 2021 report said, “The Committee reiterate their view that having three aircraft carriers will considerably enhance combat capabilities of the Navy. Taking into account the long coastline and hostile adversities on both sides of the Indian peninsula, an aircraft carrier on both sides of coast is quintessential to uphold operational requirements. However, repair work of huge vessel such as an aircraft carrier takes considerably long time, therefore to abridge operational deficiencies thus arising, three aircraft carrier is an unavoidable requirement to meet any eventualities. Based on this analogy, a standard scenario is the deployment of two aircraft carriers at all times while one would undergo repairs and maintenance.” At the time the report was presented, Vikrant was undergoing crucial trials.

A navy doctor inside the operating theater of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard in Kochi, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. (PTI Photo)

The committee in its report explores the viability of island territories to be developed into ‘optional aircraft carrier’, a notion backed by Chief of Defence Staff late General Bipin Rawat, who was vocally not in favour of a third aircraft carrier. “Some of these islands are strategically and favourably located on both sides of the coast suited for blocking and dominating the ingress routes, provided runways there are made operational. The committee infer that above proposal is worthwhile and prioritising investment for development of various island territories as provisional aircraft carrier shall be contemplated by ministry and decisions on the same shall be furnished to the committee,” it observed.

In its reply to this recommendation, the Ministry of Defence said that overall infrastructure development in these island territories is being progressed in tandem with the threat perception and long-term strategic vision and as suggested by the committee, investment is being prioritised.