In 1961, barely a decade and a half after its independence, India became the first country in the so-called Third World to acquire and operate an aircraft carrier. Purchased from the British and commissioned as the INS Vikrant, the carrier played a pivotal role in the blockade of Dhaka during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
By the late 1980s, while India was already operating two aircraft carriers – the INS Viraat and the INS Vikrant, China had none.
Beijing got its first aircraft carrier only in 2012, when the refurbished Varyag, bought from Ukraine in 1998, was commissioned into the PLA Navy as Liaoning.
However, the Indian Navy’s obvious advantages over the PLA Navy did not last long.
Fast forward to 2025, China is operating two aircraft carriers and is conducting sea trials of the third one, the 80,000-ton Fujian.
China’s indigenously developed Fujian aircraft carrier is only the second in the world to feature electromagnetic catapults, which will enable the PLAN to launch heavier and larger fixed-wing aircraft with more fuel and weapons loads. Apart from China, only the US has an electromagnetic catapult launch system.
China is also working on a fourth aircraft carrier, the Type 004, rumored to feature nuclear propulsion.
Meanwhile, India, which acquired an aircraft carrier more than half a century earlier than China, and was operating two carriers when Beijing had none, debated the need for a third aircraft carrier for many years.
Now, after nearly a decade-long debate, New Delhi has finally made up its mind and given in-principle approval for building India’s third aircraft carrier, which could even feature nuclear propulsion.
Laser WAR! China’s LY-1 Challenges U.S. HELIOS, Israel’s Iron Beam & UK’s DragonFire For Supremacy
As per the Indian Defense Ministry’s 15-year roadmap to modernise its military, termed ‘The Technology Vision and Capability Roadmap,’ India could build its third aircraft carrier, which could also feature India’s indigenous twin-engine deck-based fighter jet on its ramps.
However, given that an aircraft carrier takes 10 to 12 years to build, New Delhi could still end up having only two carriers, as INS Vikramaditya would be near its end-of-life cycle by that time.
India’s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier
India inducted its first indigenously developed aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, in 2022. The 262-metre-long carrier has a full displacement of close to 45,000 tonnes.
Built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore by the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), the carrier can accommodate nearly 30 combat aircraft and choppers. Currently, India operates MiG-29s from INS Vikrant. It had an overall indigenous content of 76%.
Laser WAR! China’s LY-1 Challenges U.S. HELIOS, Israel’s Iron Beam & UK’s DragonFire For Supremacy
Now, if India builds a third aircraft carrier, it would mean that India will be able to preserve the specialized skill sets needed to build a flattop. Notably, apart from India, only five countries possess the expertise of building an aircraft carrier: the US, the UK, France, China, and Russia.
India’s First Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier
Even more importantly, India’s next indigenously developed aircraft carrier could feature nuclear propulsion. This would be a game-changer as nuclear-powered carriers could sail at sea longer and more quietly, giving New Delhi the capability to project power globally.
Notably, only two countries have been able to produce nuclear-powered aircraft carriers: the US and France. While all 11 US aircraft carriers are nuclear-powered, France’s sole aircraft carrier – the Charles de Gaulle – is also nuclear-powered.
China is widely believed to be working on its fourth aircraft carrier, the Type 004, which is rumored to be nuclear-powered.
In March this year, the EurAsian Times reported that satellite images of China’s fourth aircraft carrier prototype, designated Type 004, reveal it will have nuclear propulsion and be comparable in size to America’s largest warship.
Furthermore, satellite imagery from November 2024 showed that China has built a land-based prototype nuclear reactor for a large surface warship. The project to build the prototype reactor for a large warship is called Longwei or Dragon Might.
Constructing and deploying a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is time-intensive. However, the capability to develop nuclear propulsion for its next generation of warships would give India more power to run advanced systems, such as electromagnetic launchers, radars, and new-technology weapons. It would also obviate the need for the ship to refuel regularly, thus increasing its range.
The document outlines the need for at least 10 nuclear propulsion systems to support the carrier and other future warships, underscoring New Delhi’s ambition to expand its strategic reach across the Indian Ocean.
Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems
The new aircraft carrier could also feature an electromagnetic aircraft launch system. As noted earlier, so far, only two countries, the US and China, have mastered the electromagnetic aircraft launch system.
Thus, if successful, this would place India into an elite group of countries with this sophisticated technology that allows a Navy to launch heavier aircraft more efficiently and quickly.
The roadmap anticipates procuring two electromagnetic aircraft launch systems, developed for the U.S. Navy to launch aircraft from carriers using electromagnetic forces instead of traditional steam catapults.
Electromagnetic catapults use large magnets to launch an aircraft.
The vision document also aims to procure five Automatic Carrier Landing Systems (ACLS).
Specifying the details, the document says: “An aircraft recovery system for safe recovery of multi-role deck-based fighter in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) and Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).”
Rafales & India’s Indigenous Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter Jets
Currently, India’s both aircraft carriers – INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya – carry aging Soviet-origin MiG-29s.
Earlier this year, India signed a USD 7.4 billion deal with France for procuring 26 Rafale M fighter jets for carrier-based operations. India hopes to have 62 Rafale jets in service by 2030, including 36 for the air force that started arriving in 2020.
India also plans to induct an unspecified number of new-generation aircraft for carrier-based operations, tentatively named TEDBF (Twin Engine Deck Based Fighters), and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Navy. Both of these aircraft will be produced by state-owned aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
The document also envisions procuring an unspecified number of DBMRH (Deck Based Multi Role Helicopters) and Utility Helicopter (Maritime (UH-M), again, to be developed by the HAL.
The Indian Navy is also looking to procure 40 AESA radars for combat aircraft. The document specifies that while the DRDO-developed Uttam AESA radar has a look angle of +60 degrees, contemporary fighter aircraft like Eurofighter, Gripen, and F-35 are equipped with AESA radars that have a look angle of +100 degrees.
“These radars utilise GaN-based T/R modules to enhance thermal efficiency and a swash plate for enhanced Field of View (FoV). Development of this capability will create major export avenues for India.”
Furthermore, the Navy wants to procure 650 ‘Standoff Guided Bombs’ for deck-based fighter jets.
“The Bombs need to be designed with range extension kits, ie, either propelled or winged to provide good standoff launch ranges. The bombs are required to be designed with laser or IR as terminal guidance and INS + satellite for mid-course guidance. They should be capable of day and night operations and targeting land and afloat targets (stationary and mobile),” the document notes.
The Indian Navy also intends to procure 40 Multi-functional Dual Band Radars and more than 15 Doppler Weather radar X-band.
Apart from these big-ticket platforms, the Indian Navy is also looking at 10 next-generation frigates, seven advanced corvettes, and four landing dock platforms.
The Navy has also called for the induction of 100 Next Generation Fast Interceptor Craft that are capable of carrying out interception of high-speed craft and seaward anti-terrorist patrols.
As per the 15-year plan, the Indian Navy will also acquire 150 torpedoes having a range of more than 25 kilometres and should be able to operate up to depths of 450 metres. The roadmap has also called for lithium-ion batteries for submarines.
Together, these platforms will significantly boost the capabilities of the Indian Navy. The development of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system and indigenous twin-engine deck-based fighter jets will position India among an elite group of nations, opening new export avenues for its defense industry.
The capability boost is required for India to project power in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond into the Indo-Pacific.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.
- VIEWS PERSONAL OF THE AUTHOR
- He can be reached at ahlawat.sumit85 (at) gmail.com
