New Delhi: India’s second indigenous aircraft carrier, after the INS Vikrant, is likely to be nuclear powered. This is part of a 15-year defence modernisation plan announced on Friday.
The plan also envisages Indian-made fighter jets to be based on this aircraft carrier.
India’s strategic defence plans hinge upon indigenously built weapons systems that proved to be extremely effective during Operation Sindoor, the four-day conflict against Pakistan that followed the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh had recently spoken on the importance of self-reliance in defence production, given the geopolitical situation that has made global supplies unreliable. India has recently tied up with French firm Safran for the manufacture of advanced engines for fighter jets.
“As the nation stands on the threshold of embracing greater challenges and responsibilities in the forthcoming decades, it is but imperative that the Services be equipped accordingly,” the defence ministry’s 2025 roadmap states.
“Greater private-public sector partnership is thus the road ahead,” it adds.
At the moment, India operates two aircraft carriers. One of these – the INS Vikramaditya – is of Russian origin. The other is the INS Vikrant. The next carrier is expected to be nuclear-powered, for longer reach and stealthier operations.
The document outlines the need for at least 10 nuclear propulsion systems to support the carrier and other future warships, underscoring India’s ambition to expand its strategic reach across the Indian Ocean.
India also plans to induct an unspecified number of new-generation twin-engine, deck-based fighters and light combat aircraft, both being developed by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the Navy.
These include the Tejas Mk2 and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft or AMCA.
As a stop gap arrangement, India signed a deal with France worth Rs 630 billion (about $8 billion) in April for 26 Rafale-Marine jets. These jets, made by Dassault Aviation, are to be deployed primarily on the INS Vikrant. INS Vikramaditya will continue to fly the Mig-29Ks.
These marine Rafales will augment the Indian Air Force’s fleet of 36 aircraft of the same make (without carrier landing capabilities).
India also plans to procure two electromagnetic aircraft launch systems, developed for the US Navy, to enable the launch of aircraft from carriers using electromagnetic forces instead of traditional steam catapults.
The plan also places a big emphasis on drones that played a key role in Operation Sindoor.
