India's Newest Carrier

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

And keep in mind that China's SLOCs to Mid-East oil run through the Indian Ocean.

That's what I was thinking.  Also, I believe that China imports a lot of raw materials from Africa.  And, India could cut off trade with Europe.

Chinese shipping to the EU goes through Panama.

[mirth]

And keep in mind that China's SLOCs to Mid-East oil run through the Indian Ocean.

That's what I was thinking.  Also, I believe that China imports a lot of raw materials from Africa.  And, India could cut off trade with Europe.

Chinese shipping to the EU goes through Panama.

Take the long way home?

[besilarius]

With global warming, part of the year they can use the Northwest Passage above Russia.

[Windigo]

With global warming, part of the year they can use the Northwest Passage above Russia.

just stay the hell away from Russia's drilling platforms

[GDS_Starfury]

I just had a great area denial idea!  in contested waters with oil platforms we use Canadian subs for patrol.  that way the Ruskis wont know where or when one will catch fire and blow up an oil rig. 

[Windigo]

I just had a great area denial idea!  in contested waters with oil platforms we use Canadian subs for patrol.  that way the Ruskis wont know where or when one will catch fire and blow up an oil rig.

or hit an underwater obstacle

[Centurion40]

Now that I've thought about it a little more, I have to wonder if a carrier is the best choice for the Indian's to use if they wish to interdict oil going to China.  I would think that subs and long range bombers would be a better investment.  India already has three Mainstays (AWACS).  Purchase a few more of those and some Backfires, or whatever the replacement is for the Backfire, and they could do a lot of damage to shipping going across northern and central Indian Ocean.

See, this is exactly what I am thinking.  Apart from being a status symbol, why would India need such a carrier?  It is not a defensive weapon.  Both Pakistan and the Chinese mainland are well withing the reach of existing Indian Air Force bases.  Unless they are looking to project force far from the Indian mainland, or existing airfields on territorial islands, there is not reason for Indian to possess such a ship.

Are they in the early stages of building into a regional or world superpower? Do they fantasize of an era of Pax Indiana?

[GDS_Starfury]

India has had carriers for a long time.  following the US model, theyre central to any sea control strategy and the Indian Ocean is a rather large body of water.

[Airborne Rifles]

I imagine if, during the course of a conflict, India did interfere with China's SLOCs through the Indian Ocean, China would be forced to send their own navy to try to protect their interests.  A robust carrier force would be pretty useful in that situation.

I remember in one of Tom Clancy's non-fiction titles, Carrier I think, a US Carrier group sinks an Indian carrier in a hypothetical conflict in one of the mini-novels at the end of the book.

[Windigo]

India is a weird nation of contradictions (sounds familiar eh?). It has millions of desparately poor, yet its high tech industry is growing very fast.

[GDS_Starfury]

I imagine if, during the course of a conflict, India did interfere with China's SLOCs through the Indian Ocean, China would be forced to send their own navy to try to protect their interests.  A robust carrier force would be pretty useful in that situation.

I think that if India and China are in a shooting war then Chinas navy is going to stretched pretty thin.

[bayonetbrant]

I think that if India and China get in a shooting war the navies are going to be pretty irrelevant

[Airborne Rifles]

I think that if India and China get in a shooting war the navies are going to be pretty irrelevant

Not if India can use their's to strangle China's economy, especially in a limited war with limited goals.  Weren't they just in some sort of face-off over China's claims in Kashmir or something?

[Windigo]

AR... always

[FarAway Sooner]

I do wonder if the carrier's intended purpose would be to provide improved patrolling of the Indian Ocean in the event of hostilities with China?  Using it as a force projection tool in the face of Chinese land-based airpower seems... poorly thought out. 

And I can't imagine that India really wants to shoulder the burden of regional policeman.   Way too many problems at home to worry about the tiresome responsibilities associated with superpower status, especially so long as the US remains willing to foot that bill.