Opinion | Aircraft Carrier Expansion Drive: Boosting India’s Security, Economic Growth & Tech Revolution
By Girish Linganna | First Published Dec 3, 2024, 4:02 PM ISTIndia’s coastline, stretching across 7,500 kilometres, demands the navy to operate from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. The dual-seaboard challenge amplifies the strategic value of carriers.
India’s ambitious drive to expand its aircraft carrier fleet represents more than a defence initiative; it is a strategic investment in national security, economic growth and technological advancement. As the nation celebrates Navy Day-2024, the spotlight is on its growing maritime capabilities and the broader implications of its aircraft carrier programme. Beyond being symbols of military prowess, carriers are enablers of economic self-reliance, technological innovation and geopolitical influence, particularly in the contested waters of the Indo-Pacific.
Strategic Imperative
Securing the Indian Ocean Region
The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is the lifeblood of global commerce, hosting vital sea lines of communication that transport two-thirds of the world’s oil and one-third of its bulk cargo. As competition intensifies, particularly with China’s growing presence, India’s position as a net security provider becomes crucial. Aircraft carriers are the linchpins of this role, ensuring India’s ability to project power, respond to crises and stabilize the region.
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Commodore (Retd) Ranjit B Rai, a former Director of Naval Intelligence, highlights carriers’ versatility, noting their capability to project air power, support humanitarian missions and enable rapid aid deployment. With only two carriers currently in operation—the INS Vikramaditya and the indigenously built INS Vikrant—India’s maritime strategists are advocating for a three-carrier fleet. Vice-Admiral (Retd) Biswajit Dasgupta, who recently retired as the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Commander, explains that such an expansion ensures continuous operational readiness, allowing India to safeguard its vast maritime zones effectively.
Dual Seaboards, Regional Stability
India’s coastline, stretching across 7,500 kilometres, demands the navy to operate from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. The dual-seaboard challenge amplifies the strategic value of carriers. Captain S Parmar, a prominent maritime strategist, notes that a carrier’s ability to act as a floating airbase provides unmatched operational flexibility. An expanded fleet would enable India to simultaneously address threats across its eastern and western seaboards, ensuring regional stability in its maritime backyard.
Economic Impact
Job Creation & Industrial Growth
India’s aircraft carrier programme extends its influence far beyond defence, generating substantial economic benefits. The construction of the INS Vikrant, for instance, created over 14,000 jobs and involved more than 500 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). According to India’s Economic Survey, shipbuilding has a multiplier effect, with every rupee invested yielding an additional ₹1.82 for the economy. Each direct job in the sector creates 5.4 ancillary jobs, driving employment in such industries as steel, electronics and precision engineering.
The programme aligns seamlessly with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and fostering a robust domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem. India’s growing expertise in carrier construction positions it as a potential exporter of naval platforms, enhancing its global standing in the defence market.
Tech Advancements
From Defence to Civilian Innovation
Aircraft carriers are technological marvels, demanding cutting-edge advancements in propulsion systems, automation and materials science. These innovations often find applications beyond defence, propelling progress in civilian sectors, such as robotics, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.
India’s push for self-reliance in carrier technology, including future integration of nuclear propulsion and drone operations, is a testament to its ambitions. The country is also exploring opportunities to attract international clients for ship maintenance and retrofitting, further boosting its economy and technological footprint.
Carriers in Indo-Pacific
India’s carriers are vital assets in strengthening regional partnerships, particularly within such frameworks as the Quad—a strategic alliance with the United States, Japan and Australia. They enable India to actively participate in multinational naval exercises, signalling its commitment to a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’.
Future carriers will integrate advanced systems, such as satellite-supported reconnaissance and cyber-resilient platforms, enhancing India’s maritime domain awareness. Additionally, their role in non-combat missions must be balanced. From disaster relief during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to evacuations in Yemen, carriers have been indispensable in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.
India’s Maritime Future
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s vision of a five-carrier fleet underscores India’s understanding that maritime power is central to its economic resilience and geopolitical influence. Aircraft carriers are not mere military assets, but also strategic investments shaping India’s future as a secure, self-reliant and economically dynamic nation.
As India builds its fleet, it fortifies its leadership in the Indo-Pacific, protecting vital trade routes, fostering technological innovation and ensuring regional stability. Navy Day serves as a reminder of these bold aspirations and the transformative potential of a maritime force poised for greatness. Through its aircraft carrier programme, India is not just building ships, but also crafting a legacy of power, progress, and leadership for decades to come.
(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)
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