“India’s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant is getting battle ready after its final sea trial. India’s other aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya is due to return to service shortly. Possibility of third air craft carrier is also under consideration. These carrier groups will be game changer and usher in the new phase of India’s Military strategy.”
The geo strategic location of Peninsular India with two chains of Island, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, sitting strategically in the middle of Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is ideal and God gifted boon to India, which can be strategically exploited to its advantage.
By the end of 2023, India would have two air craft carrier groups which can be either side of peninsular land mass group of Islands.
India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), INS Vikrant is getting battle worthy to deliver its role. It has taken 13 years to build 45,000 ton carrier at cost of 20,000 crore. The career is 262 m long and 62 m wide. INS Vikrant has total 14 decks. The aviation trials of Naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and Mig-29 K carried out on this carrier successfully. It is a milestone for Indian Navy, with this the INS Vikrant would become fully operational.
This also demonstrated India’s capacity of design, development, construction and operational capabilities. It is an indigenous carrier ship with its own aircraft. INS Vikrant can carry 26 MIG-29K or 26 Rafale Fighter Jets. With IAC Vikrant, India has joined the elite group of countries like USA, Russia, UK, France and China who have specialised capabilities of designing and developing of their own aircraft carrier independently. After sea trial, INS Vikrant would be fully operational by the end of 2023. It is a big boost for ‘Make in India’ and ‘Indianisation’ of Indian Military.
India’s in-service aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is in service since 2013. It was bought from Russia, a former Soviet aircraft carrier Baku (Soviet Navy), or Admiral Gorshkov (Russian Navy). India commissioned INS Vikramaditya in 2013. Since 2021, it was out of sea and going through its repair and maintenance and has retuned recently to the sea. INS Vikramaditya is a floating airfield with an overall length of about 284 meters and a maximum beam of about 60 meters, stretching as much as three football fields put together. Standing about 20 storeys tall with 44,500 tones of weight. The ship has total 22 decks.
Both these career are akin to floating city. These career will provide virtual, unlimited and substantial capacity to Indian Navy to carry out maritime security of the nation.
So, by the end of 2023, India will have two aircraft carrier battle groups in IOR. It will go in big way to project its military might in Indo-Pacific. Indian Military will be a force to recon within Indian Ocean Region (IOR) contributing its role as member of the QUAD, in over all Indo-Pacific security architecture.
