Why India’s Carrier Matters More Than China’s by Felix Seidler
A
bilities and training. To achieve this, China has a long march to
ircraft carriers are going to be an indispensable asset for
walk.
all players in the Indo-Pacific Maritime Great Game. But China's carrier got too much attention, while India's de-
Upgrade India!
serves far more. Operational experience matters and China has none.
While most observers were busy with the Liaoning, Asia's
Furthermore, India is already playing with the world's three Carrier
only operational aircraft carrier, India's INS Viraat, disappeared
Big Boys and all the important maritime Choke Points are in front
from the scene. Sorry Thailand, but your never-operating carrier is
India‘s shores.
not a serious asset. Here is the first good reason why India must be upgraded over China: Operational experience. India has been op-
Downgrade Liaoning!
erating carriers since 1987 and INS Viraat is expected to retire in
China's aircraft carrier program has been massively over-
2020. Therefore, India's Navy has the necessary supply chains and
hyped. After the former Soviet carrier, fully refurbished by the Chi-
logistics, which the PLAN lacks. Prospectively, China's maritime
nese and named Liaoning, undertook its first "test drive", thousands
"long march" will take time before getting the necessary experi-
of press and scholarly articles about possible regional and global im-
ence India already has (or will get through Russian or maybe even
plications were published. Is this single ship a regional or even a global
future U.S. and French support).
threat? What about the balance in the East and South China Sea?
Unlike their Chinese counterparts, Indian commanders
Stay calm, people. After a few tests, China's Navy (PLAN) is
have already engaged their carrier crews, helicopter and fighter
years away from having an operational aircraft carrier or even a battle
pilots in serious exercises. China, just due the lack of capacity,
group.
could not even start real training yet. Nevertheless, you need Moreover, if you want to operate one aircraft carrier, you
skilled officers, pilots and sailors, if you want your carrier to be
need at least two, better three: one in the shipyard, one operating,
taken seriously by others. While PLAN still has not started training
one in standby. According
flight operations, India's next carrier,
to the numbers, it is unlikely
the INS Vikramaditya (due the benefits
that the PLAN will be able
of Russian support) is already training
to sustain a permanent "blue
Arctic waters and is expected to enter
water"
service by 2014. The indigenous built
carrier
presence
INS Vikrant is about to be commis-
before 2020. Even the first flights
sioned in 2015. In consequence, when-
from Liaoning’s deck were
ever the PLAN's first carrier is opera-
more a public diplomacy
tional, India will have at least two well-
event than a step towards a
trained counterparts. Furthermore,
credible carrier force. It is
India will always be able to maintain an
one thing to start a single
operational carrier offshore whereas
fighter under controlled and
China cannot.
planned
circumstances.
Operating dozens of flight movements per hour in conflict or war times need very different kinds of capa-
Of course India will not become a U.S.-like carrier super power, nevertheless, more attention is warranted. If you don’t believe it, just look at a map of the Indian Ocean. The world's most important sea-lanes are running just in front of the Indian military’s ports and air bases. All geostrategic hotspots and maritime Choke Points are nearby. From its Andaman
Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 12
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