As INS Vikramaditya sets sail, Indian Navy eyes a bigger aircraft carrier

As India’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya prepares to set sail to the high seas following a 15-month-long refit, the Indian Navy will continue its search for a bigger aircraft carrier about the size of indigenously made INS Vikrant. The development comes amid Indian Navy’s plans to repeat the order for Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)-2, which will include certain modifications to match the Indian Navy requirements. However, the new aircraft carrier may become INS Vikramaditya’s replacement instead of raising the strength of India’s aircraft carrier groups to three due to the long timelines over the acquisition of IAC-2.

During the recent Aero India 2023 in Bangalore, India’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that the Indian Navy will continue its search for a larger and more efficient carrier. Notably, INS Vikramaditya weighs around 44,500 tonnes while INS Vikrant is 45,000 tonnes. As per the Indian Navy’s plans, IAC-2 will weigh around 65,000 tonnes. Admiral Kumar stated that the Indian Navy requires three aircraft carriers due to the time it takes to provide maintenance to one, leading to a gap in maritime security.

Significance of aircraft carrier groups for India

As a rising power in the Indo-Pacific region, India is seeking to expand its maritime capabilities, and aircraft carrier groups are an important component of that expansion. The Indian aircraft carrier groups, led by INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, play a crucial role in projecting Indian naval power and securing India's maritime interests. Both carriers provide a platform for the deployment of fighter jets, helicopters, and other aircraft that can carry out a variety of missions, such as maritime interdiction, anti-submarine warfare, and close air support.

Image: Twitter/@indianavy (INS Vikramaditya)

Aircraft carriers can also be used for disaster relief operations, as was the case when INS Viraat was deployed to provide humanitarian aid and relief to the Maldives after the 2004 tsunami. In addition to these operational capabilities, aircraft carriers are also a symbol of a country's naval power and have a deterrent effect on potential adversaries.

Notably, if India possessed three carriers, it would significantly enhance the country's maritime capabilities, particularly in terms of power projection and protection of its interests in the Indian Ocean Region. This would enable India to have one carrier deployed on each coast, while the third carrier could undergo maintenance or training. This would ensure a continuous presence of naval assets in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and enable the Indian Navy to respond quickly to any emerging security challenges.