Table of Contents
GS Paper II
- International Relations
- India and its neighborhood – International relations
- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting the Indian interests
- Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
- Important International institutions, agencies, their structure and mandates
What is aircraft carrier?
- An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft.
- Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a naval force to project air power worldwide without depending on local bases for staging aircraft operations.
What we are discussing?
- At present, India has two aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant,
- While it is planning to develop the third – INS Vishaal by 2030.
- The question arises why is India developing a fleet of aircraft carriers?
3 primary reasons
- The first is the support of a conventional war against Pakistan, which would involve strikes against Pakistan naval assets and land bases.
- Second, the carriers make the Indian Navy the preeminent force in the Indian Ocean, better able to command the area than any foreign competitor.
- The third prong involves geopolitical competition with China.
- Regarding Pakistan, Vikrant and Vikramaditya would struggle in strike operations,
- Because of limitations on aircraft weight, although they certainly would attract Pakistani attention.
- Meanwhile, the Indian Navy being the preeminent force in the Indian Ocean,
- Indian carriers will always have better access to bases and support facilities in the Indian Ocean than China, the UK, or even the US.
- Thus the presence of the carriers facilitates the projection of Indian power and the management of trade protection.
- The third and main reason, competition with China – Beijing has managed to leapfrog Indian naval aviation development in a relatively short period of time.
- Although China lacks India’s experience with carriers,
- It boasts a remarkably efficient shipbuilding industry and an increasingly sophisticated aviation sector, making it less dependent on foreign technology.
- Although India may struggle to keep up with Chinese construction,
- It can leverage geography (proximity to bases) to its advantage in the most likely areas of any conflict.
India’s focus on Aircraft carrier
- Despite considerable economic challenges,
- India took carrier aviation very seriously in the years after independence.
- Unlike China (or even the Soviet Union), India focused on carriers instead of submarines.
INS vikrant INS Viraat
- INS Vikrant, a Majestic-class light carrier, served from 1961 until 1997, fighting effectively in the 1971 war.
- INS Viraat, formerly the Centaur-class carrier HMS Hermes, joined the Indian Navy in 1987 and served until 2016.
INS Vikramaditya
- The operational INS Vikramaditya, former Kiev-class warship Admiral Gorshkov, was inducted into service in 2014.
- The 45,000-ton INS Vikramaditya could operate around twenty MiG-29K fighters, along with utility helicopters.
- The ship offered the Indian Navy the chance to redevelop its aviation muscles,
- After years of operating only VSTOL (vertical and/or short take-off and landing) aircraft from Viraat.
INS Vikrant
- The new INS Vikrant, a 40,000-ton ski-jump carrier built in India’s Cochin Shipyard.
- Laid down in 2009, Vikrant was expected to finally enter service around 2020, With an air wing similar to that of Vikramaditya.
Aircraft used on the carriers?
- For the time being, India has decided to stick with the MiG-29K as its primary naval combat aircraft,
- Rather than the Su-33, the F/A-18, or the Dassault Rafale.
- Both Boeing and Dassault remain at least somewhat hopeful of exporting carrier-borne fighters to India.
- The Indian Navy also contemplated developing a navalised version of the HAL Tejas, but (for now) has wisely rejected.
INS vishal
- With one large carrier in service and another on the way, India has become one of the world’s pre-eminent naval aviation powers.
- India has committed to carrier aviation and has the resources and experience to develop a successful force.
- The next step in India’s naval aviation project will be INS Vishaal, a 65,000-ton conventionally propelled, domestically produced CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) carrier.
- With experience gleaned from the experience with Vikrant, the design and construction of the carrier will hopefully go more smoothly.
- It appears as if India will have unprecedented access to US technology for the construction of Vishaal,
- Including the EMALS electromagnetic catapult system used on the Gerald R Ford class.
- Unlike Vikrant or Vikramaditya, Vishaal will be able to launch and recover heavy strike aircraft, as well as early warning planes such as the E-2 Hawkeye. Vishaal is supposed to enter service by 2030.
Q) Which of the following statements regarding Baltic Dry Index?
- It is a freight index and indicates the robustness of trade and shipping services.
- It is issued daily by the New York-based Baltic Exchange.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 & 2
- None of the above