Monthly Archives: August 2018

The war was a result of then Pak army chief Gen Musharraf’s wish to change the status quo along the LoC.

Advertisement

Maj Gen Ashok Kumar (Retd)

Director General, Centre for Joint Warfare Studies

THE Kargil conflict revealed important aspects of warfare between two nuclear-armed nations. Even at the height of the Cold War, the US and the USSR did not have a direct confrontation; they preferred to take a swipe at each other through their proxies. The Kargil War, therefore, became a test case for a limited conflict under the nuclear umbrella or overhang. Paradoxically, on one hand, it showed that there were windows of opportunity for the use of calibrated violence — that nuclear-armed countries could still wage wars against each other in the conventional sense. On the other hand, the application of this violence was constrained in space and time. The conflict also demonstrated significant coordination among the three Services on a number of issues, with a fair number of discordant notes.

The 1999 war was a result of then Pakistan army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf’s wish to change the status quo along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. The plan was to occupy winter-vacated heights along a large swathe of territory in the Kargil-Dras-Batalik sectors in Ladakh and force the closure of NH 1A, the lifeline of Indian troops deployed in the strategic Siachen sector. Musharraf wanted to kill two birds with one stone. With this tactical surprise, he wanted to weaken Indian deployment in Siachen — he was still hurting from India’s pre-emptive occupation of the Saltoro Ridge in 1984 — and use the occupation of the heights in Kargil to claim that area as part of Pakistani territory. The plan, which was audacious in its conception and execution, achieved complete tactical and strategic surprise during the initial phases. However, one of the underlying assumptions of Pakistan’s gamble was the unwillingness of the Indian forces to undertake major land operations for wresting back the control of the heights. The use of air power was not even envisaged. These assumptions were proven wrong.

India mobilised five divisions, as many independent infantry brigades and close to 44 battalions from Kashmir to Kargil and launched Operation Vijay, a joint counteroffensive to evict the intruders from the occupied heights and restore the status quo at the LoC.

Though Operation Vijay was successful in achieving its aim, and by July 26, 1999, the majority of combat operations were over, the nature of Army-IAF interface at the stages of initial planning and staff work had a greater scope of coordination. Once the intrusions were detected on May 3, the IAF deployed its reconnaissance aircraft as early as May 10, but the information flow between the Army’s 15 Corps and Air Officer Commanding (AOC), J&K, needed much more integrated coordination. The Army insisted at the start of the operations that it could manage Kargil on its own and would only need the support of armed helicopters. However, closer to the date of the launch of Operation Vijay on May 26, it was realised that the quantum of Pakistani troops and the nature of their entrenchment necessitated the use of IAF’s fixed-wing aircraft.

There was limited joint planning, briefing or staffing at the initial stages; it was worsened by a lack of knowledge regarding the strengths and challenges of each other’s platforms and requirements. While the Army could not appreciate the vulnerabilities of slow-moving helicopters in mountainous terrain against surface-to-air missiles, the IAF insisted repeatedly on obtaining political clearance for the use of airpower by leaning on the trope of airpower likely to expand the theatre and scope of the conflict. Another issue, once these challenges were sorted out and political clearance was obtained for the use of airpower with a caveat of not crossing the LoC, was the shortage of precision munitions in the IAF’s inventory and a lack of acclimatisation of IAF pilots to night-time targeting. Due to this, there were multiple instances where preparatory air strikes preceded Army operations but were unable to impact the progress of the land operations in the expected manner. By this time, however, a working coordination had been achieved between the AOC, J&K, and Headquarters, 15 Corps.

Operation Vijay and the IAF’s contribution to it, Operation Safed Sagar, functioned like clockwork once the rhythm was stabilised and the tempo of operations increased. The IAF adjusted to the lack of precision munitions very quickly to mount the Litening electro-optical targeting pods and Paveway II laser-guided bombs on their Mirage 2000s. The total destruction of the Muntho Dhalo supply camp and the command and control centre of the Northern Light Infantry (also serving as the fire direction centre for Pakistani artillery batteries in the area) on the top of Tiger Hill in single passes weakened the enemy’s morale and jeopardised and eliminated its supply chain, leading to the comparatively quick capture of the post.

The war highlighted the strengths of the Indian armed forces in undertaking operations in difficult terrain and the innovative nature of their coordination, where order and stability emerged but took some time. This is not the case anymore in contemporary conflict. Today, the launch of operations and their conduct will be undertaken through the use of assets and technologies, which will strain our understanding of the separation of domains and involve a form of mosaic warfare, where platforms and technologies will need to control cross-domain assets. The lessons from Kargil in the domain of jointness and integration underscore the need for a ground-up and foundational level of joint structures in physical, organisational and conceptual forms. Joint understanding of a common threat, followed by joint planning and execution, will lead to the application of the strengths of the respective Services. Tailored theatre commands, which look at particular areas and adversaries with the strengths of the three Services as well as additional domains, are the way ahead, and this is what we must take away from the 25-year-old war.

Maker yet to supply even one aircraft of the first tranche of 83

As the Indian Air Force (IAF) continues to operate with fewer fighter jet squadrons than mandated, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the delivery schedule of supplying 18 Tejas Mark-1A jets by March 2025.

In all, 180 Tejas Mark-1A jets are to be made by the HAL in two tranches over the next 10 years. These are to bridge the prevailing shortage and muster numbers due to phasing out of older jets from the IAF inventory.

The HAL — a Bengaluru headquartered company in which the MoD owns a majority stake — is yet to deliver even one jet of the first tranche of 83 ordered in February 2021 under a Rs 48,000-crore order. Deliveries were to commence three years after signing the contract, or by March this year.

In April, the MoD asked the HAL to submit its commercial bid for producing 97 Tejas Mark-1A jets in addition to the 83 already ordered, taking the number to 180.

In March, Tejas Mark-1A carried out its first flight. “It was a successful sortie with a flying time of 18 minutes,” the HAL had then said.

The MoD, after a review meeting, has asked the HAL to meet the delivery deadline of 18 jets by March 2025. Sources say the HAL is banking on getting its new production line at Nashik on track by November to shore up the numbers.

The HAL has faced some supply chain disruption which is being sorted. The production of parts and assemblies for the jets has been outsourced to suppliers. Sources say the MoD and HAL are serious about meeting the contract target of 18 jets by March 2025.

The criticality of adding more fighter jets stems from the fact that the IAF presently has 31 squadrons (16-18 planes each) of fighter jets against the mandated number of 42 to handle a collusive two-front threat from Pakistan and China.

Over the next one year, all (two) squadrons of the Soviet-era MiG 21 fighter jets will retire. The Jaguar, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 jet fleets — all inducted in phases during the 1980s — are slated to retire in batches beyond 2029-30. These four types of jets are about 250 in number and are presently operating on an extended life cycle.

As per plan, for the next 14-15 years (till 2038-39) starting this financial year, India needs to indigenously produce some 390 fighter jets for the IAF.

The IAF already has 40 Tejas Mark1 jets. Tejas Mark-1A is the improved version of the aircraft.

Saddened by ex-officer’s death in Rafah: MEA

Two days after Col Waibhav Anil Kale (retd) was killed reportedly from firing from a tank despite the UN informing the Israeli authorities about the movement of a vehicle carrying him and other UN staff, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has mourned the officer’s death.

• Editorial: Gaza tragedy

However, the Israeli military said it had “not been made aware of the route of the vehicle”. “The incident is under review,” it said.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of the Security Coordination Officer in the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS) in Gaza on May 13. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and dear ones,” said a statement from the MEA on Wednesday. The MEA’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York and missions in Tel Aviv and Ramallah are extending assistance in the repatriation of the mortal remains to India. Without mentioning the name of the perpetrators, the MEA said it continued to be in touch with the “relevant” authorities regarding the investigation into the incident. The Israeli Defence Forces is the only institution to have announced a “review” into the firing on a UN vehicle whereas the US has joined demands — not made by the MEA — for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Video footage of the white car with UN markings showed its windscreen riddled with bullet holes. The death of Colonel Kale, who joined the UN security services two months ago, was the first of an Indian and a UN international employee in the Palestinian territory since the Israel-Hamas conflict began over seven months ago.

The UN said it informed the Israeli authorities of the movement of all its convoys. “That has been the case in any theatre of operation. This is a standard operating procedure… and it was a clearly marked UN vehicle,” said UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez at a media briefing in New York. While Colonel Kale’s death was mourned by the UN a few hours after the incident, a day later, the US State Department called it “incredibly disturbing”, there was no word from External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar or the MEA’s X handle. Rather Jaishankar wished a happy national day to his Israeli counterpart. Only India’s Permanent Mission in New York mourned Colonel Kale’s killing.

However, the US State Department dwelt at length on the incident. “The reports are incredibly disturbing. And we are very concerned by what we’re seeing of the reported strike on a UN vehicle in Gaza that killed one aid worker and injured another…UN and humanitarian workers must be protected, and they need to be able to continue their lifesaving work. And we join calls for a full investigation into this incident,” said State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel at a media briefing when asked if after the death of 250 local aid workers and now of Colonel Kale, the US still believed Israel was not targeting them.

Patel said he expected Israel to follow through with the new IDF coordination cell for real-time humanitarian efforts. “And we emphasise that there needs to be a focus on safeguarding designated sites, safeguarding aid personnel and civilians. And we urge Israel to expedite the de-confliction cell full,” he underlined.

AP

Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), May 16

Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times and gravely wounded on Wednesday, but his deputy prime minister said he believed Fico would survive.

The prime minister had been greeting supporters at an event when the attempted assassination took place, shocking the small country and reverberating across Europe weeks before an election.

“I guess in the end he will survive,” Tomas Taraba told the BBC, adding: “He’s not in a life-threatening situation at this moment.”

Doctors fought for Fico’s life several hours after the pro-Russian leader (59), was hit in the abdomen, Defence Minister Robert Kalina told reporters at the hospital where Fico was being treated.

Five shots were fired outside a cultural centre in the town of Handlova, nearly 140 km northeast of the capital, government officials said. Fico was shot while attending a meeting of his government in the town of 16,000 that was once a centre of coal mining.

A suspect was in custody, and an initial investigation found “a clear political motivation” behind the assassination attempt, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said as he briefed reporters alongside the defence minister.

Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and beyond, but his return to power last year on a pro-Russian, anti-American message led to even greater worries among fellow European Union members that he would lead his country further from the Western mainstream.

Kicking off his fourth term as prime minister, his government halted arms deliveries to Ukraine, and critics worry that he will lead Slovakia — a nation of 5.4 million that belongs to NATO — to abandon its pro-Western course and follow in the footsteps of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Thousands have repeatedly rallied in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico’s policies.

A message posted to Fico’s Facebook account said he was taken to a hospital in Banská Bystrica, 29 km from Handlova, because it would take too long to get to the capital, Bratislava.

The attack comes as political campaigning heats up three weeks ahead of Europe-wide elections to choose lawmakers for the European Parliament. Concern is mounting that populists and nationalists similar to Fico could make gains in the 27-member bloc.

But politics as usual were put aside as the nation faced the shock of the attempt on Fico’s life. 

PM Modi condemns assassination attempt on Slovakian leader as cowardly

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock on Thursday at the assassination attempt on his Slovakian counterpart Robert Fico, and condemned it as a cowardly and dastardly act.

In a post on ‘X’, Modi said, “Deeply shocked at the news of the shooting at Slovakia’s Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Robert Fico. I strongly condemn this cowardly and dastardly act and wish PM Fico a speedy recovery. India stands in solidarity with the people of the Slovak Republic.” PTI

Tribune News Service

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 14

In the first death of an Indian on UN duty in Gaza, which has not been mourned by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Col Waibhav Anil Kale (retd) died after his vehicle came under fire in Rafah on Monday morning.

Col Kale (46) took premature retirement from the Army in 2022 after serving with the 11 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. He is survived by his Pune-based wife and two teenaged children.

The Permanent Mission of India to the UN, however, condoled his death. In a post on X, it said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Col Waibhav Kale, working for the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS) in Gaza. Our deepest condolences are with the family during this difficult time.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply saddened” by the death of the officer who joined the UN DSS as a Security Coordination Officer barely two months ago.

His vehicle was attacked on Monday while he was travelling to the European Hospital in Rafah from Gaza, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General. Another DSS staffer was injured in the incident. The Israel Defence Forces, which is undertaking active operations in the area, is investigating the incident.

Though United Nations Secretary-General condoled the death, the official X handles of Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs were silent on the issue. Of the 12 posts on Jaishankar’s official X handle till 7 pm on Tuesday, eight were about PM Narendra Modi’s nomination in Varanasi and one on his own speaking engagement in Kerala.

Of the three posts on foreign affairs, one was to congratulate Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of Israel’s Independence. The other two were to wish his Paraguayan counterpart and inform about Indian relief supplies to Kenya.

Lt Barshilia was awarded the Sena Medal for his dedicated leadership and gallantry.

Lt Gen Baljit Singh (Retd)

Military Commentator

READING exhaustive narratives of the Kargil War in The Tribune over the past month, I was reminded of a phone call that came one morning in the summer of 1999. Even before I could say hello, an excited voice said: “Jai Hind shaab, aap aur memshaab theek hain?” The voice did seem familiar, but to avoid embarrassment, I asked: “Aap kahan se bole rahey ho?” His response, with a controlled chuckle, was: “Shaab, main Som Bahadur STD booth Kargil main hoon. 3/3 GR (Gorkha Rifles) ne peak capture kar liya, shaab!” He was on cloud nine, but much to my disappointment and his helplessness, the connection snapped all too soon.

Back in 1981, when my brigade, inclusive of 3/3 GR, was moved to establish a permanent presence in north Sikkim, Lance Naik Som Bahadur Punn was my affable sahayak. And it had been an article of faith ever since for this comrade-in-arms to get in touch every year. By 1999, he was a battle-blooded, proud havildar.

Som Bahadur’s call reminded me of the legend of Pheidippides from 490 BC, when the Persian army had invaded Greece. Outnumbered 10 to one, the Greeks sought help from the neighbouring Sparta, but to no avail. However, their deity Pan so spurred the soldiery to “…take heart, laugh Persia to scorn, have faith in the temples and tombs…” that they inflicted a crushing defeat on the invading Persians. And Pheidippides, a champion runner, set out on 40-km non-stop run from the battlefield of Marathon back to Athens. When he reached there, he informed anxious fellow citizens gathered at the Acropolis: “Rejoice, we have won!”

Another Kargil narrative came from Lt Sanjay Barshilia of 286 Medium Regiment, who on

June 7, 1999, after two nights of a gruelling climb, had teamed with a detachment of 4 Jat atop Point 5299 (17,385 ft above sea level) to commence the interdiction of enemy reinforcements and logistics by artillery fire. A narrow horizontal niche cut into an ice-face about 50 metres below that hilltop, where four men could curl up at any one time, was their sole communal sleeping shelter. But sleep remained elusive because the sleeping bags tended to be damp due to frequent sleet sprays and the night temperature dipped below 10°C. Cooked food and water were supplied by night ferries daily, but were sufficient only for one meal a day.

However, this young man had a job at hand and the vantage hilltop proved an excellent perch for directing artillery fire on enemy locations with a telling effect. It was not long before the enemy retaliated in equal measure, best narrated by Sanjay thus: “You fire a round at him, and sure enough, you can expect him on your location in precisely one minute. The game was dangerous, but all of us enjoyed it immensely… It was a tremendous feeling for all of us at the post, more so for myself, who had the fortune of experiencing combat at a young age and from such a close distance. It was a dream come true.” Befittingly, he was awarded the Sena Medal on August 15, 1999, for his dedicated leadership and gallantry.

In November 2023, I had an unbelievable chance meeting with a veteran of two wars — he was part of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) in October 1987 during the Sri Lankan civil war and also present at Kargil in 1999. On an errand to an establishment, the gatekeeper greeted me with a smart salute, but with his left arm, and that prompted me to enquire about his antecedents. Within minutes, it emerged that this Napoleon-sized Suraj Lama was a veteran from the elite 10 Para Commando and was among the first members of the ill-fated heliborne mission to land upon the Jaffna University stadium, where they received a horrendous reception by LTTE combatants.

However, born under a lucky star, Lama survived not just the Jaffna onslaught but multiple battles till the cessation of the war across the length and breadth of Sri Lanka. Much as I admired and respected his unique combat experiences, I was driven to a guarded cross-examination. But the moment he mentioned that he was part of that platoon of 13 Sikh Light Infantry battalion which had perished within minutes of touchdown upon mother earth to the last man but one, it was my turn to shake hands and salute Lama.

It is in the nature of warfare that every soldier in battle enjoys in equal measure both the grace of angels and the dictums of destiny. So, Lama sailed through three bloody years with the IPKF in the Lankan war, but on the penultimate day of the war in Kargil, in the blink of an eye, he was knocked out cold, airlifted to Leh Military Hospital and regained consciousness three days later.

For five-and-a-half years, he remained bed-ridden and partially wheel-chaired at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi Cantonment; AIIMS, New Delhi; and the Command Hospital, Chandimandir, where his service as a havildar was terminated with 100 per cent disability pension. His left leg and right arm were severely damaged, but undaunted he drives a scooter and a car confidently. He cannot climb up steps, salutes with his left hand and clicks heels at attention in a ramrod posture — always with a broad, infectious smile.

And that brings me to the classic A Matter of Honour by Philip Mason, which opens with the unwritten credo of the Indian Army: “Fidelity to an oath, loyalty to comrades and calm under crises, without which qualities an Army is nothing…

US sanctions no deterrent for Delhi

THE spectre of US sanctions has failed to deter India from signing a 10-year contract with Iran to develop and operate the Iranian port of Chabahar. The deal is expected to enhance regional connectivity and facilitate trade involving India, Iran, Afghanistan and other nations. The long-term contract was signed by Indian Ports Global Limited and the Port & Maritime Organisation of Iran. Located in the restive Sistan-Balochistan province on Iran’s southern coast, the Chabahar port will offer Indian goods a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia through a road and rail project known as the International North-South Transport Corridor. Importantly, the route will bypass Pakistan, whose relations with Iran have deteriorated in recent months and whose ties with India have been in deep freeze for several years. US sanctions on Iran over its purported nuclear programme have restricted the operations of this port, which New Delhi had proposed to develop back in 2003.

In one fell swoop, India has cocked a snook at Pakistan as well as the US. Reacting to the Chabahar deal, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said: ‘US sanctions on Iran remain in place and we will continue to enforce them.’ Sounding a note of caution, Patel said anyone considering business deals with Iran needed to be aware of the potential risk, especially in terms of sanctions.

However, like in the case of the purchase of Russian oil at discounted prices, India has chosen to prioritise its own interests and not allowed existing geopolitical alignments to become an impediment. Last year, India had used the Chabahar port to send 20,000 tonnes of wheat to aid-starved Afghanistan. It is evident that New Delhi is going all out to make its presence felt in the neighbourhood, even if this ruffles a few feathers. Inevitably, the US will have no option but to let an assertive India have its way.

Cairo, May 14

Israeli tanks forged deeper into eastern Rafah on Tuesday, reaching some residential districts of the southern border city where more than a million people had been sheltering, raising fears of yet further civilian casualties.

Palestinian residents of western Rafah later said they could see smoke billowing above the eastern neighbourhoods and hear the sound of explosions following an Israeli bombardment of a cluster of houses.

Hamas’s armed wing said it had destroyed an Israeli troop carrier with an Al-Yassin 105 missile in the eastern Al-Salam district, killing some crew members and wounding others. According to Gaza health officials 82 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours, the highest death toll in a single day in many weeks. — Reuters

World Court to hold hearings over Rafah

THE HAGUE: The UN’s International Court of Justice will hold hearings on Thursday and Friday to discuss new emergency measures sought by South Africa over Israel’s attacks on Rafah during the war in Gaza. The measures form part of an ongoing case South Africa filed at the ICJ in December last year.

Blame game over Crossing closure

• Israel said on Tuesday that it was up to Egypt to reopen the Rafah Crossing and allow humanitarian relief into the Gaza Strip, prompting Cairo to denounce what it described as an attempt to shift the blame for the aid blockage
• The Rafah Crossing is on the border between Egypt and southern Gaza, and a vital route for aid going into the coastal territory
• “The key to preventing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is now in the hands of Egypt…I have spoken to British and German counterparts to persuade Egypt to reopen the crossing,” Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Katz said

Last year, HAL delivered 6 Do-228 aircraft to IAF

he integration of an aerial Surveillance and Reconnaissance Radar (SAR), being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), with a Dornier light transport aircraft is expected to commence soon with the industry being roped in to execute the project.

DRDO’s Electronics Research and Development Establishment is developing a high-resolution radar, which will be retrofitted on the Dornier-228 aircraft licensed produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The integration of the radar with the aircraft will enable evaluation and validation of the system’s functionality and performance in the desired airborne operating environment, which in turn will pave the way for modifying and retrofitting the required number of platforms with SAR.

The microwave-based X-band SAR will be used to provide real-time intelligence inputs to decision-makers. It will have all-weather and day and night capability to map static and moving targets and guide weapons to their targets. The SAR system weighs about 230 kg, which includes its antenna that would be mounted under its belly, data processing and data transfer units and other paraphernalia like cooling systems and the GPS. The project entails certain modifications to the Dornier’s airframe, installation of additional frames and support structures, rewiring the electrical systems and calibrating SAR with the aircraft’s avionics and navigation system, which would be undertaken in collaboration with HAL.

Of German origin, the twin-turboprop Dornier is manufactured in India by HAL and is used by the Indian Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard for communication, survey, maritime surveillance and training. Last year, HAL delivered six upgraded Do-228 aircraft to the IAF which have new engines, composite propellers, advanced avionics and a modern glass cockpit that significantly enhance their performance and usability. Recently, HAL-made aircraft have also been certified for civilian use.

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, May 14

India will soon start making its third aircraft carrier, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while talking to The Tribune. He was referring to the pending proposal of the Navy to make another indigenous carrier same in size as INS Vikrant, which weighed 45,000 tonne and was commissioned in September 2022.

Naval race

Naval race

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in January last year suggested the need for having a third sea-going aircraft carrier
• China has two operational aircraft carriers — Liaoning and Shandong
• On May 1, it started a week-long sea trial of its next-generation aircraft carrier Fujian

India has one more carrier — INS Vikramaditya — sourced from Russia in 2013. “We will not stop at that (three carriers). We will make five, six more,” said Rajnath.

These are first indications of long-term plans for having sea-going carriers that can launch and recover fighter jets from the deck while sailing. Till now, India has been speaking about having three carriers. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in January last year suggested the need for having a third sea-going aircraft carrier. It had said, “The reach and flexibility of a carrier is far superior to military airfields in far-flung island territories.” What Rajnath said is setting is a fresh target for India and it matches China’s plan to have aircraft carriers.

Three years ago, a US Department of Defence report, ‘Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2021’, warned, “China continues to build a multi-carrier force. Plans are for six carriers by 2030.”

China has two operational aircraft carriers — Liaoning and Shandong. On May 1, it started a week-long sea trial of its next-generation aircraft carrier Fujian. This is China’s third aircraft carrier and the first equipped with electromagnetic catapults. The US aircraft carriers use the technology of electromagnetic catapults to launch fighter jets from deck. A catapult launch allows jets to carry heavier payload and reduce the time between the launch of two jets.

Fujian, an 80,000 tonne warship, is bigger than carriers made by the UK, France, India and Japan.

Not just India and China, other Asian countries are also racing to project power at sea and make carriers. The Japanese have converted helicopter carrier JS Izumo into an aircraft carrier capable of flying F35. It is converting another helicopter carrier, JS Kaga.

South Korea has a plan to launch a carrier by 2030.

India operated its first carrier — HMS Hercules — in 1961. It was sourced second hand from the UK and was renamed ‘INS Vikrant’. It played an important role during the 1971 India-Pakistan war on the eastern front before getting decommissioned in 1997.

India’s second carrier, HMS Hermes, also sourced second hand from the UK, was renamed INS Viraat. Inducted in 1987, it was decommissioned in 2017.

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in January last year suggested the need for having a third sea-going aircraft carrier

India has one more carrier — INS Vikramaditya — sourced from Russia in 2013. “We will not stop at that (three carriers). We will make five, six more,” said Rajnath.

These are first indications of long-term plans for having sea-going carriers that can launch and recover fighter jets from the deck while sailing. Till now, India has been speaking about having three carriers. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in January last year suggested the need for having a third sea-going aircraft carrier. It had said, “The reach and flexibility of a carrier is far superior to military airfields in far-flung island territories.” What Rajnath said is setting is a fresh target for India and it matches China’s plan to have aircraft carriers.

Three years ago, a US Department of Defence report, ‘Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2021’, warned, “China continues to build a multi-carrier force. Plans are for six carriers by 2030.”

China has two operational aircraft carriers — Liaoning and Shandong. On May 1, it started a week-long sea trial of its next-generation aircraft carrier Fujian. This is China’s third aircraft carrier and the first equipped with electromagnetic catapults. The US aircraft carriers use the technology of electromagnetic catapults to launch fighter jets from deck. A catapult launch allows jets to carry heavier payload and reduce the time between the launch of two jets.

Fujian, an 80,000 tonne warship, is bigger than carriers made by the UK, France, India and Japan.

Not just India and China, other Asian countries are also racing to project power at sea and make carriers. The Japanese have converted helicopter carrier JS Izumo into an aircraft carrier capable of flying F35. It is converting another helicopter carrier, JS Kaga.

South Korea has a plan to launch a carrier by 2030.

India operated its first carrier — HMS Hercules — in 1961. It was sourced second hand from the UK and was renamed ‘INS Vikrant’. It played an important role during the 1971 India-Pakistan war on the eastern front before getting decommissioned in 1997.

India’s second carrier, HMS Hermes, also sourced second hand from the UK, was renamed INS Viraat. Inducted in 1987, it was decommissioned in 2017.