INS Vikrant being built - it is nuclear powered - ready later.
INS vikramaditya - aircraft carrier - 2.3 billion USD, ready in Jan 2014. - capable of landing Mig 29s.
INS arihant is another ship that is nuclear powered and became critical in August,
Chinese aircraft carrier is Liaoning.
Indian naval expansion is being undertaken with an eye on China, but it has miles to go before it can catch up with its neighbour.
After a long nine year wait, India has finally taken possession of the 45,000-tonne, $2.3 billion Admiral Gorshkov, now renamed INS Vikramaditya, built in the final years of the Soviet Union and now India's largest ship. It will now be escorted by warships to India on a two-month voyage from Russia's northern coast and will reach the port of Karwar in January, following which the Navy will operationalise it with the first landing of its MiG-29K aircraft.
Earlier this year in August India became the fifth nation in the world with the capability to indigenously design and build its own aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. This launch was preceded with the announcement that the reactor in India's first indigenously built nuclear powered submarine (SSBN), INS Arihant, has gone critical, marking a turning point in New Delhi's attempt to establish a nuclear triad. But the celebrations came to an abrupt end when two days after the launch of INS Vikrant tragedy followed as INS Sindhurakshak, one of the 10 kilo-class submarines that form the backbone of India's ageing conventional submarine force, sank with 18 crew members after explosions at the naval dockyard in Mumbai. Together these developments underscored the giant strides that India has made as well as the challenges that India faces in its attempts to emerge as a credible global naval power.
Indian naval expansion is being undertaken with an eye on China, and recent strides notwithstanding, India has nautical miles to go before it can catch up with its powerful neighbour, which has made some significant advances in the waters surrounding India. The launch of an aircraft carrier is seen as critical for the Indian Navy as it remains anxious to maintain its presence in the shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, especially in the light of China's massive naval build-up. China commissioned its aircraft carrier, Liaoning, last year which is refurbished vessel purchased from Ukraine in 1998. It is also working on an indigenous carrier of its own even as it is keeping an eye out for a nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
Earlier this year in August India became the fifth nation in the world with the capability to indigenously design and build its own aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. This launch was preceded with the announcement that the reactor in India's first indigenously built nuclear powered submarine (SSBN), INS Arihant, has gone critical, marking a turning point in New Delhi's attempt to establish a nuclear triad. But the celebrations came to an abrupt end when two days after the launch of INS Vikrant tragedy followed as INS Sindhurakshak, one of the 10 kilo-class submarines that form the backbone of India's ageing conventional submarine force, sank with 18 crew members after explosions at the naval dockyard in Mumbai. Together these developments underscored the giant strides that India has made as well as the challenges that India faces in its attempts to emerge as a credible global naval power.
Indian naval expansion is being undertaken with an eye on China, and recent strides notwithstanding, India has nautical miles to go before it can catch up with its powerful neighbour, which has made some significant advances in the waters surrounding India. The launch of an aircraft carrier is seen as critical for the Indian Navy as it remains anxious to maintain its presence in the shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, especially in the light of China's massive naval build-up. China commissioned its aircraft carrier, Liaoning, last year which is refurbished vessel purchased from Ukraine in 1998. It is also working on an indigenous carrier of its own even as it is keeping an eye out for a nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
India remains heavily dependent on imports to meet its defence requirements, so its recent successes are particularly important. But for all the euphoria, it will be five years until the INS Vikrant can be commissioned by the Indian Navy and INS Arihant has yet to pass a series of sea trials. Indian Navy wants to be a serious blue-water force and is working hard to achieve that goal. Indian naval planners have long argued that if it is to remain in continuous operational readiness in the Indian Ocean, protect sea lanes of communication in the Persian Gulf and monitor Chinese activities in the Bay of Bengal, it needs a minimum of three aircraft carriers and a fleet of five nuclear submarines. With Admiral Gorshkov likely to be operational by early next year and a second aircraft indigenous carrier in the wings, Indian Navy could be close to realising the dream of operating three carriers by the end of the decade.
Problems of safety
But serious challenges remain as exemplified by the disaster of INS Sindhurakshak which has brought the focus back to the enduring problems of safety and reliability which the Indian Navy has been grappling with for decades. The Indian Navy has a poor accident record with several mishaps in recent years. INS Sindhurakshak had been reintroduced to service only in April this year after a refit in Russia. The Navy has ordered a review of its submarines weapons safety systems after initial investigations showed arms on board the submarine may have played a role in its sinking. The latest accident comes at a time when even as Indian Navy's surface fleet expansion has been progressing well, the Indian submarime fleet is not only ageing but also depleting fast with the induction of new submarines not on track.
Despite the success of Vikrant and Arihant, India's indigenous defence production has been marred by serious technical and organisational problems, leading to significant delays in the development of key defence technologies and platforms. The Navy, much like the other two services, has found it difficult to translate its conceptual commitment to self-reliance and indigenisation into actionable policy, resulting in a perpetuation of reliance on external sources for naval modernisation. Yet India's reliance on its navy to project power is only likely to increase in the coming years as naval build-up continues apace in the Indo-Pacific. Apart from China, other powers are also developing their naval might. Japan's commissioning of third helicopter carrier, the Izumo, has raised hackles in Beijing which has referred to it as an "aircraft carrier in disguise."
And in this regional context, India's naval engagement with East and Southeast Asian states is integral to its two-decade old 'Look East' policy. Countries ranging from the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia to Vietnam and Myanmar have been pushing India towards assuming a higher profile in the region. India is training Myanmar naval personnel and is building at least four Off shore patrol vehicles in Indian shipyards to be used by Myanmar's navy. The Indian Navy has not only been supplying spares to Hanoi for its Russian origin ships and missile boats but has also extended a $100 million credit line to Vietnam for the purchase of peaceful of patrol boats. Defence minister, A K Antony, was in Australia, Thailand and Singapore recently forging closer naval ties even as New Delhi's naval relationships with major western powers and the Gulf states is blossoming.
As a result, Indian Navy will remain an indispensable tool for furthering national foreign policy goals. But as the resources dry up with a significant decline in economic growth rates, Indian naval planners will have to think more carefully about balancing their ways, ends and means if India wants to emerge as a serious naval power in the coming years.
Problems of safety
But serious challenges remain as exemplified by the disaster of INS Sindhurakshak which has brought the focus back to the enduring problems of safety and reliability which the Indian Navy has been grappling with for decades. The Indian Navy has a poor accident record with several mishaps in recent years. INS Sindhurakshak had been reintroduced to service only in April this year after a refit in Russia. The Navy has ordered a review of its submarines weapons safety systems after initial investigations showed arms on board the submarine may have played a role in its sinking. The latest accident comes at a time when even as Indian Navy's surface fleet expansion has been progressing well, the Indian submarime fleet is not only ageing but also depleting fast with the induction of new submarines not on track.
Despite the success of Vikrant and Arihant, India's indigenous defence production has been marred by serious technical and organisational problems, leading to significant delays in the development of key defence technologies and platforms. The Navy, much like the other two services, has found it difficult to translate its conceptual commitment to self-reliance and indigenisation into actionable policy, resulting in a perpetuation of reliance on external sources for naval modernisation. Yet India's reliance on its navy to project power is only likely to increase in the coming years as naval build-up continues apace in the Indo-Pacific. Apart from China, other powers are also developing their naval might. Japan's commissioning of third helicopter carrier, the Izumo, has raised hackles in Beijing which has referred to it as an "aircraft carrier in disguise."
And in this regional context, India's naval engagement with East and Southeast Asian states is integral to its two-decade old 'Look East' policy. Countries ranging from the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia to Vietnam and Myanmar have been pushing India towards assuming a higher profile in the region. India is training Myanmar naval personnel and is building at least four Off shore patrol vehicles in Indian shipyards to be used by Myanmar's navy. The Indian Navy has not only been supplying spares to Hanoi for its Russian origin ships and missile boats but has also extended a $100 million credit line to Vietnam for the purchase of peaceful of patrol boats. Defence minister, A K Antony, was in Australia, Thailand and Singapore recently forging closer naval ties even as New Delhi's naval relationships with major western powers and the Gulf states is blossoming.
As a result, Indian Navy will remain an indispensable tool for furthering national foreign policy goals. But as the resources dry up with a significant decline in economic growth rates, Indian naval planners will have to think more carefully about balancing their ways, ends and means if India wants to emerge as a serious naval power in the coming years.
Regards,
Shashi
Shashi
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