INS Vikrant raises hackles in China
The Indian Navy will have lead over China as it will have two aircraft carriers by the end of this year with INS Vikramaditya joining the INS Viraat, which is already in service
Beijing: The launch of INS Vikrant has raised hackles in China, with Chinese defence experts saying the aircraft carrier would have great significance for India as it would allow the Indian Navy to wade into the Pacific Ocean - which Beijing considers as its backyard. "This bears great significance to Indian Navy.
It makes India only the fifth country after the US, Russia, Britain and France to have such capabilities," Senior Captain Zhang Junshe, Vice-President of China's Naval Research Institute, told the state-run CCTV. The Indian Navy will have lead over China as it will have two aircraft carriers by the end of this year with INS Vikramaditya, the refitted carrier from Russia joining INS Viraat, which is already in service
even though Vikrant was expected to be operational by 2018, he said. AFP By the end of this year
India will become the only country in Asia to have two aircraft carriers. This will enhance the overall capabilities especially the power projection capabilities of the Indian Navy.
Ruling out any race for more carriers in the region, Zhang defended India and China having more carriers since they have vast coasts and huge populations and the importance of defending the sea lanes far from home due to dependence on external trade. In 2012, China had launched its first aircraft carrier, Lioning. Its hull was imported from Ukraine and refurbished in China. China also subsequently launched J-15 aircraft to operate from its deck. The ship with over 50,000 tonnes displacement will have about 30 aircraft on its deck. China is reportedly building two more aircraft carriers but their schedules are not known yet. Zhang earlier told the state-run China Daily that with Vikrant, the Indian navy will be more capable of patrolling distant oceans.
The Indian Navy will have lead over China as it will have two aircraft carriers by the end of this year with INS Vikramaditya joining the INS Viraat, which is already in service
Beijing: The launch of INS Vikrant has raised hackles in China, with Chinese defence experts saying the aircraft carrier would have great significance for India as it would allow the Indian Navy to wade into the Pacific Ocean - which Beijing considers as its backyard. "This bears great significance to Indian Navy.
It makes India only the fifth country after the US, Russia, Britain and France to have such capabilities," Senior Captain Zhang Junshe, Vice-President of China's Naval Research Institute, told the state-run CCTV. The Indian Navy will have lead over China as it will have two aircraft carriers by the end of this year with INS Vikramaditya, the refitted carrier from Russia joining INS Viraat, which is already in service
even though Vikrant was expected to be operational by 2018, he said. AFP By the end of this year
India will become the only country in Asia to have two aircraft carriers. This will enhance the overall capabilities especially the power projection capabilities of the Indian Navy.
Ruling out any race for more carriers in the region, Zhang defended India and China having more carriers since they have vast coasts and huge populations and the importance of defending the sea lanes far from home due to dependence on external trade. In 2012, China had launched its first aircraft carrier, Lioning. Its hull was imported from Ukraine and refurbished in China. China also subsequently launched J-15 aircraft to operate from its deck. The ship with over 50,000 tonnes displacement will have about 30 aircraft on its deck. China is reportedly building two more aircraft carriers but their schedules are not known yet. Zhang earlier told the state-run China Daily that with Vikrant, the Indian navy will be more capable of patrolling distant oceans.
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