The Indian Navy is a powerful force in South Asia with almost 200 ships, including two aircraft carriers, over 15 submarines, and around 300 aircraft. Russia has been supporting India's nuclear submarine program since the 1960s and will continue to do so, according to an Indian Navy veteran named Commodore Anil Jai Singh.
Singh spent three decades in India's blue-water force, with 28 years as a specialist submariner. He explained that Moscow helped New Delhi gain valuable experience in operating nuclear submarines, and their long-standing and close defense partnership would be beneficial for the development and production of India's domestic nuclear-powered attack submarines.
India has been leasing Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) for many years, and Singh believes that there may not be joint production of nuclear submarines between the two countries due to the complexity involved in the technology. However, Russia's support has been instrumental in developing India's own nuclear submarine technology. The two submarines that Russia leased to India provided them with a tremendous insight into the complexity of operating nuclear submarines and what infrastructure is required to maintain them.
Singh explained that operating a nuclear submarine requires not only a submarine and a reactor but also shore support, maintenance, and civilian nuclear capability. Developing a reactor that can be fitted into a submarine is a whole different ball game, and it has to be 100% foolproof. Therefore, Russia's support has been a great asset to India in developing its nuclear submarine technology.
The Navy veteran also discussed India's plans to develop its own naval fighter jet and why aircraft carriers are essential to the Indian Navy. Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar recently stated that Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet and Dassault's Rafale M fighters meet the Navy's requirements, and they were ready to acquire either for their indigenous warship INS Vikrant. Singh explained that the Navy's decision was not only about the aircraft but also about logistics support.
India's goal is to have a fully indigenous fighter, and they are developing something called the twin-engine deck-based fighter. Meanwhile, they need a solution for INS Vikrant, so they decided to carry out trials with both the F-18 Super Hornet and the Rafale, both of which performed satisfactorily. The Navy will choose the better aircraft based on various factors, including cost, maintenance, and India's strategic relationship with that country.
Aircraft carriers are essential to India's overall national security strategy because they are the centerpiece of any blue-water Navy. The Indian Navy is structured as a proper, balanced, multi-dimensional blue-water capable force with the vision of eventually becoming a blue-water Navy with a large role to play in the Indian Ocean. Aircraft carriers give India the ability to take a floating air base up to 500 miles in a day from anywhere to anywhere, and when it is accompanied by its carrier battle group, it is almost like a Navy moving with an airbase.
In summary, Russia has been a critical partner in developing India's nuclear submarine technology, and their support will continue. India is also working on developing its own naval fighter jet and aims to have a fully indigenous fighter. Aircraft carriers are essential to India's overall national security strategy, and they will continue to be the centerpiece of any blue-water Navy.
