India and China are both developing countries, as well as large countries with huge populations and territories. However, India has a huge gap with China in many aspects, whether it is economic, technological, military, or international influence. Indians, on the other hand, are always unwilling to lag behind China and always want to compete with China in various fields. This mentality of "what China can do, I can also do" has become a habit of Indians and a problem for Indians.
The same is true of the Indians when it comes to the construction of naval aircraft carriers. The Indian Navy currently has two active aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya, purchased from Russia and INS Vikrant, purchased from the UK. Both aircraft carriers are medium-sized aircraft carriers of 40,000 tons, and the number and quality of carrier-based aircraft are not high. The Indian Navy is also building a domestically built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, also a 40,000-ton medium-sized aircraft carrier, which is expected to enter service in 2024. The Indian Navy aims to have three aircraft carriers to form a "two-carrier battle group" as a way to enhance its maritime power and deterrence capabilities.
The Indian Navy's dream of "twin aircraft carriers" seems to be very beautiful, but in fact it is very illusory. Compared with the Indian Navy, the Chinese Navy is already far ahead in aircraft carrier construction. The Chinese Navy also currently has two active aircraft carriers, the "Liaoning" purchased from Ukraine and the domestically produced "Shandong". Both aircraft carriers are large aircraft carriers of 60,000 tons, and the number and quality of carrier-based aircraft are a notch higher than that of the Indian Navy. The Chinese Navy is also building a domestically produced electromagnetic catapult aircraft carrier "Fujian", which is expected to enter service in 2025. This aircraft carrier will be an 80,000-ton super-large aircraft carrier, and the number and quality of carrier-based aircraft will reach the world's advanced level. The Chinese navy aims to have four aircraft carriers to form a "two-carrier battle group" to safeguard its maritime security and interests.
The Indian Navy's dream of "twin aircraft carriers" cannot be compared with the reality of the Chinese Navy's "twin aircraft carriers" at all. The Indian Navy's aircraft carriers are not only inferior to the Chinese Navy in terms of quantity, but also vulnerable in terms of quality. The aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy are all purchased or copied from foreign countries, and the technical level is backward, the maintenance is difficult, and the breakdowns are frequent. The aircraft carrier-based aircraft of the Indian Navy are all Rafale-M fighters purchased from France, which are limited in number, average in performance and have a long lead time. The Indian Navy's aircraft carrier battle groups lack effective frigates, submarines and supply ships, and have weak combat capabilities and low battlefield survivability.
The aircraft carriers of the Chinese Navy are all independently developed or improved, with advanced technology, easy maintenance and stable performance. The Chinese Navy's aircraft carriers and carrier-based aircraft are all domestically produced J-15 and J-35 fighters, which are sufficient in number, excellent in performance, and have a short delivery cycle. The Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier battle group has powerful frigates, submarines and supply ships, with strong combat capabilities and high battlefield survivability.
The Indian Navy's dream of a "twin aircraft carrier" is nothing more than a psychological comfort for self-deception. The aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy cannot be compared with the aircraft carriers of the Chinese Navy, let alone the aircraft carriers of the US Navy. The aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy can only put on a show in the Indian Ocean, and cannot play a role in the Pacific Ocean, let alone show their might in global waters. The aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy is just an expensive ornament, not an effective **.
The Indian Navy should give up the illusion of comparing aircraft carriers with the Chinese Navy, should proceed from its own reality, should formulate a rational naval development plan according to its own needs and capabilities, and should pay attention to improving the overall quality and combat effectiveness of the Navy, instead of blindly pursuing the size and image of the Navy. The Indian Navy's dream of "twin aircraft carriers" will only lead the Indian Navy to its demise.