The movements and developments around both Russia’s and India’s aircraft carriers indicate the challenges and ambitions these countries still have in the naval power sphere. The Russian-led Admiral Kuznetsov and India’s INS Vikrant symbolize the complications and aspirations of each country’s naval strategies.
The recent movement of Admiral Kuznetsov, the only aircraft carrier in Russia, made news for traveling through the English Channel and heading to the Mediterranean Sea. A Soviet-era ship with a notoriety for harassment problems, this floating aircraft carrier leads a flotilla of eight; these include an oceangoing tug, testimony to a reputation for breaking down often. With the Carrier, Expectations are for increased military operations in Syria on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad, Russia’s key Arab world ally.
For the first time, the carrier entered active combat duty since its launching more than three decades ago, yet another move reflective of President Vladimir V. Putin’s expressed intention to project military power across the globe.
The operational history of Admiral Kuznetsov is, however, very problematic. Recently, a fire on board led to two fatalities among the crew-a tragedy that underlined once more the ongoing risks related to this old vessel. It has also started a criminal investigation by Russian law, which again underlines that even after so many years, questions about the safety of the carrier remain.
Equally, on the other side of the world, India’s newest aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, remains a milestone in respect of the country’s naval ambitions. Last September, it was commissioned into the Navy. Vikrant today stands as a signature of pride and industrial capability in India. Yet, its development has been mired, though, by bureaucratic delays and tenacious cost overruns that have caused the ship’s capabilities to be nearly outdated even before full operationalization.
More delays will build up due to the integration issues with the Russian Aircraft Flight Complex and the questionable reliability of its MiG-29K jets. The induction of the carrier is thus likely to formally declare operational service only in 2023-an important but long-overdue development within the scope of the Indian Navy’s modernization.
The development cases of both Admiral Kuznetsov and INS Vikrant directly mirrored the broader strategic and operational challenges being faced by Russia and India in efforts towards the enhancement of naval capability. Both carriers are representative of national pride and military ambition; their limitations, entwined as it were with the rapid developments of the rival navies, underpin the proposition relating to the changing nature of global naval power.