India’s third aircraft carrier project, INS Vishal, is advancing through the design phase with ambitions of commissioning in the 2030s, but delays in approval and funding risk leaving a dangerous gap once INS Vikramaditya retires.
The carrier is not only a strategic necessity against China’s expanding naval presence but also an economic engine that strengthens India’s defence industry and job creation.
In the eleventh century, the Chola king Rajendra understood that protecting wealth meant controlling trade routes. His fleet’s victory over the Srivijaya empire in 1025 AD was not about land conquest but about keeping the seas open for merchants.
The same principle applies today: sea power is the shield of a nation’s economy. For India, dependent on maritime trade, the ability to secure sea lanes is vital.
The Indian Ocean is under increasing pressure. China has established a naval base in Djibouti, operates surveillance vessels from Hambantota in Sri Lanka, and is upgrading facilities on Myanmar’s Coco Islands near the Andamans.
These developments form a ring of strategic positions around India. Some argue submarines alone are sufficient, but submarines cannot control the sea or protect merchant shipping from air threats. Aircraft carriers, by contrast, project visible power, command the skies, and secure trade routes.
India currently operates two carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. However, the Vikramaditya, a refurbished Soviet-era vessel commissioned in 2013, is expected to retire in the mid-to-late 2030s. With one carrier often in maintenance and another in training, only one remains operational at any given time.
To secure both the eastern and western seaboards, India requires at least three carriers. Given that INS Vikrant took seventeen years from steel-cutting to commissioning, any delay in ordering the third carrier risks leaving India exposed when Vikramaditya retires.
INS Vishal, the planned third carrier, represents a leap in capability. Designed at 65,000–70,000 tonnes, it will adopt CATOBAR launch systems, enabling heavier aircraft, airborne early warning platforms, and unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
The air wing is expected to include 30–35 fixed-wing aircraft, 20 helicopters, and long-endurance UAVs capable of 36-hour missions. Propulsion will rely on Integrated Full Electric Propulsion powered by gas turbines, as nuclear propulsion was deemed unfeasible in the near term. Indigenous stealth drone projects, such as DRDO’s Ghatak UCAV, are expected to integrate with Vishal, reflecting a future of manned–unmanned teaming.
Beyond strategy, carriers drive industrial growth. INS Vikrant created over 2,000 direct jobs at Cochin Shipyard and 12,500 indirect jobs nationwide, involving more than 500 companies and 100 small businesses.
It spurred the development of indigenous warship-grade steel, reducing dependence on imports. Defence production has now crossed ₹1.51 lakh crore, with exports to over 80 countries. Building carriers is not a drain on wealth but an investment in industry, technology, and employment.
India stands at a critical juncture. With China’s naval expansion accelerating and INS Vikramaditya nearing retirement, the timeline is unforgiving. Ordering the third carrier now is both a strategic imperative and an economic opportunity. It ensures sea security, sustains industrial growth, and positions India as a decisive maritime power in the Indian Ocean.
Agencies
