Aircraft carriers will deter China

IN THE NEXT fortnight or so, we will witness the commissioning of India’s second aircraft carrier, Vikrant—the first to be designed and built in our country. This is surely a red-letter day for all Indians, in general, and the people in whites, in particular.

- VICE ADMIRAL R.P. SUTHAN (RETD)

I was present at its keel-laying ceremony as the then vice chief, and having associated with the initial stages of design and execution, it is a satisfying and thrilling feeling that I have today.

Today, India occupies a dominant position, jutting out into the Indian Ocean, sitting astride the busy lanes of communication that transit the ocean. Our long coastline of 7,516km and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of over two million square kilometres, with over 72 islands and islets, several deep-water major and minor ports, are vital maritime assets. Ninety-five per cent of our trade by volume flows across the sea and accounts for nearly 50 per cent of our GDP. India has all the essential constituents for being a maritime power. There is, however, a major lacunae that exists—domestic shipbuilding.

The Indian flagged merchant ships make up only 1 per cent of the global merchant marine and it account for just 7 per cent of our total trade. This important aspect of our maritime power needs to be strengthened. On the other hand, we have done well when it comes to indigenous warship construction, with almost all our ships being built in Indian shipyards, and Cochin Shipyard has had the honour of building our first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC). However, there is a strong case for faster shipbuilding as at present it takes much too long.