Archive · 15 Aug 2026
India's Carrier Dilemma Deepens as China's Fujian Nears Readiness
An aircraft carrier is like a big floating airport that carries fighter planes over the sea.
India has two aircraft carriers, called INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
India wants to build a third one, called IAC-2, but the government has not said yes yet.
A long time ago, in 1965, India's first carrier stayed in the port for repairs during a war.
That experience taught the Navy that a carrier stuck in port cannot protect anyone.
In 1971, that same ship went to sea, and its planes attacked targets along the coast of East Pakistan.
Meanwhile, China has a new carrier called Fujian that will be ready for far-away missions in 2026.
China is also building a special pier in Djibouti where a carrier can stop.
India worries that with only two carriers it cannot always have one ready on both sides of the country.
If the third carrier is approved, the shipyard says it could be built in seven to nine years, but it would still not be ready until the 2030s.
India operates two aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, and awaits Ministry of Defence approval of a third, IAC-2.
China's third carrier, Fujian, commissioned in November 2025, is expected to reach full operational capability during 2026.
INS Vikrant spent the 1965 war in dry dock at Bombay for a scheduled refit, a gap naval historians cite for India's carrier doctrine.
In 1971, Vikrant's aircraft struck targets along the East Pakistan coast, including Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, shortly after PNS Ghazi sank off Visakhapatnam.
China has built a 320-340 metre naval jetty at Doraleh, Djibouti, capable of berthing a carrier and signalling plans for sustained far-from-home presence.
Cochin Shipyard Limited says it can build an INS Vikrant sister ship in seven to nine years, though commissioning would still fall well into the 2030s.
- Who
- The Indian Navy, India's Ministry of Defence, the Cabinet Committee on Security, and Cochin Shipyard Limited; on the Chinese side, the PLA Navy and its new carrier Fujian.
- What
- A decision on whether India should approve a third aircraft carrier, IAC-2, to maintain two carriers at sea while one is in refit.
- When
- The approval is pending as of 2026, the year Fujian is expected to reach full operational capability; historical events cited occurred in 1965 and 1971.
- Where
- India, China, and the Indo-Pacific region, with China's carrier jetty at Doraleh, Djibouti; historical events took place off Bombay, Visakhapatnam, and the East Pakistan coast.
- Why
- So India can guarantee carrier coverage on both its eastern and western seaboards and project power, protect shipping lanes, and support evacuations without depending on foreign bases.
- India's carriers in service
- INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant
- Proposed third carrier
- IAC-2
- Approval status
- Awaiting Ministry of Defence acceptance of necessity; not yet cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security
- China's third carrier
- Fujian, commissioned in November 2025
- Fujian timeline
- Full operational capability expected during 2026
- Doraleh jetty length
- Reported 320-340 metres, long enough to berth a carrier
- INS Vikrant build time
- Roughly 13 years from keel-laying to commissioning
- Sister ship estimate
- 7-9 years per Cochin Shipyard Limited, implying commissioning in the 2030s