Friday, 17 May, 2024
By: Anshul Vipat
The carrier has come at the right time for the country, which is getting increasingly considered by China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region
Indian naval capabilities is set to get a major boost on September 2 when the navy will get INS Vikrant, the country's first indigenously built aircraft carrier. Built at a cost of ₹ 20,000 crore, it's designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by the public-sector manufacturer Cochin Shipyard Limited. The 45,000-tonne warship will be commissioned in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. IAC Vikrant has a total of 2,200 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers and female Agniveer sailors, the Indian Navy said.
The carrier is christened after her illustrious predecessor, INS Vikrant - India’s first Aircraft Carrier, which played a vital role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. With the top speed of 28 knot and an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles, the warship will provide a credible edge to naval strength. With its induction, India has joined the select club of nations including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and France to design and manufacture aircraft carriers above 40,000 tonnes. The carrier has come at the right time for the country, which is getting increasingly considered by China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region.
The present and future of Indian Navy
The Indian Navy’s present force level comprises about 130 ships and submarines. These includes 1 active aircraft carrier, 10 destroyers, 13 frigates, 2 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, 15 attack submarines, 20 corvettes, 5 fleet tankers and other patrol boats. However, in comparison this is only a third of China’s naval fleet comprising 350 ships and submarines — the largest in the world. While the navy as well as the government are confident they can manage any naval threat for now, frequent delays, logistical shortfall and budget overruns has been a cause of concern. The naval plans to increase its warship fleet to 200 - including a third aircraft carrier keep getting delayed.
Most submarines which are considered critical to controlling the oceans are about two decades old. According to the 2020 report by the defense ministry, the shortfall between what the Indian Navy requested and what it got ranged from 5 percent to 41 percent. Between 2012-13 and 2018-19, navy’s modernisation expenditure increased an average annual rate of only 3 percent.
Modernisation spending for the Navy as a percentage of total defence budget also declined from 8.7 percent in 2015-16 to 4.9 percent in 2018-19. Although in the past couple of years, the government has increased the allocation, thanks to the growing Chinese threat. In the 2022-23 budget, close to 45,000 crore was allocated for modernisation, a marginal increase from last year's budget. The Navy’s share of the defence budget had declined from 18 percent in 2012 to approximately 13 per cent in 2019-20. In 2022-23 budget, the navy's share is merge 16 percent.
A few year back, Indian Navy had come up with Maritime Capability Perspective Plan that had envisioned a force of a 200-ship Navy by 2027. Unfortunately, that the target has been revised to 170. In contrast, China plans to have 425 strong fleet by 2030. The reduction comes at a critical time when many countries are looking at India to be a regional net security provider, especially with China’s growing maritime aggression.
There is no doubt that the country has a lot of potential, thanks to our immense improvement in technology and manpower. But the long gestation period associated with any big-ticket defence acquisition, bureaucratic hurdles and budget problems poses a huge challenge. If India wants to establish itself as a naval firepower, all it needs is a seriousness from New Delhi.
