INS Vikrant: Why India’s aircraft carrier is no match for China

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INS Vikrant: Why India’s aircraft carrier is no match for China
The recently inducted Vikrant is a naval milestone, yet after all the delays, it starts its life virtually obsolete.

A photo of Indian Navy officers standing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
Indian navy officers stand on the flight deck of India's first home-built aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, after its commissioning ceremony at a state-run shipyard in Kochi, India, on September 2, 2022 [Sivaram V/Reuters]
By Alex Gatopoulos
Published On 8 Sep 2022
8 Sep 2022
India’s newest and most powerful ship, the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, was inducted into the navy last Friday. India is currently building a new generation of warships for its navy and the Vikrant is the most visible symbol of Indian pride and industry.

The latest, locally designed and manufactured Indian weapons system, the Vikrant not only highlights the abilities of a maturing military-industrial complex, but is also a powerful reminder of a programme mired in bureaucratic delays and cost overruns. Its capabilities already fall short of what India’s next-generation navy needs.