India’s blue-water navy calls for a third carrier
India has not decided how big it wants its next aircraft carrier to be, but it definitely wants a third one as it seeks to dominate the Indian Ocean region.
An Indian ambition to establish a strong presence in the Indian Ocean region amidst the changing geopolitical maritime environment has led to a wish list of procurements by the Indian Navy.
At the top of the list is a third aircraft carrier so that one each is positioned on both the western and eastern seaboards as the third undergoes refit and repair.
Adm Karambir Singh, the Indian Navy (IN) Chief of Naval Staff, stated at the annual Navy Day press conference on 3 December: ‘The Indian Navy is absolutely clear of the utility of a third carrier.’
The IN presently
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