India signed its biggest-ever defence deal with Russia for the purchase of the aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov. The deal was signed by the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and the Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes on 20 January, 2004 after over a decade of negotiations. The value of the carrier is $1.5 billion (over Rs. 7,000 crores). The 45,000 tonne carrier includes 28 MiG-29Ks, the maritime equivalent of the fighter aircraft, six Kamov-31 attack and reconnaissance anti-submarine helicopters, torpedo tubes, missile systems and artillery units. The deal was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on 17January, 2004.

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Salient Features of Gorshkov

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· Gorshkov can carry 30 MiG-29Ks and 10 Kamov helicopters;

· Nearly 66% of the carrier will be reworked and retrofitted at the Servmash Yard in Severodvinsk, Russia which would cost about $700 million;

· Called Baku by the Soviets, it was commissioned by their Navy in 1987 and is a Kiev class vessel and is the last in a series of four;

· After the collapse of Soviet Union, Baku retired and renamed Gorshkov after legendary Soviet Admiral and presently it is berthed at a Russian naval port after an engine room fire;

· The vessel at present is 18-year old and was decommissioned as an aircraft carrier in 1994.

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Gorshkovâ??s Scheduled Induction?

Gorshkovâ??s arrival will coincide with the planned phase out of INS Viraat Indiaâ??s only aircraft carrier. It is expected in India by 2008 end and new Naval base at Karwar could be one of its berths.

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Imperatives for Gorshkov?

Gorshkovâ??s induction in 2008 will ensure that the Indian Navy does not lose its expertise in handling aircraft carriers. Anxiety that the expertise acquired in handling aircraft carriers may be lost if the Navy waited indefinitely for the Air Defence Ship (ADS) (read small air craft carrier) was one of the reasons it pushed hard for the Gorshkov acquisition. Moreover, the refurbished aircraft carrier, along with its complement of MiG air superiority fighters, will add a lethal punch to the naval armory. It will significantly add to Indiaâ??s sea-control capability.

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Another reason, of course, relates to the Navyâ??s increasing role as a â??sea-guardianâ??. India has already begun policing sea-lanes and would like to maintain a strong presence in the Indian Ocean from the Malacca Straits in the east to Cape Town in the west. It is considered a major improvement over the INS Viraat, which has technically reached the end of its service life, and its aged Sea Harrier fighters. The Navy will thus become among the few in the world to continue with the tradition of maintaining an aircraft in its armada. Though the Navy suggested that three carriers will be ideal, the high cost of acquiring and maintaining them has deterred the Government from acceding to its wish.

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Interestingly, the bipartisan Standing Committee on Defence has been pressing the Government over the years to ensure that not only should no gap in the air cover for the Indian Navy be allowed to develop, but the country should move expeditiously toward ensuring adequate force levels. The present aircraft carrier would soon complete its usable life?numerous refits and upgrades notwithstanding.

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The agreement marks yet another milestone in Indo-Russian defence cooperation. Both countries are now implementing multi-thousand crore deals for advanced fighter aircrafts, tanks and naval frigates. With the signing of the Gorshkov deal, Russia continues to retain its position as the top supplier of defence hardware to India although India is also sourcing equipment from other countries.?

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Problems and Prospects?

The Indian Navy had been casting about for an aircraft carrier even before that old war-horse, the INS Vikrant, was decommissioned in 1997. The serviceability of its only other aircraft carrier, the ageing INS Viraat, is also unlikely to extend beyond 2010, and even this was made possible by a major life-extension refit conducted in 1999. Most experts would argue that we should have started building an aircraft carrier more than 15 years ago, when India bought the last aircraft carrier, the Viraat, second-hand, as an interim solution. Unfortunately, not only the resource crunch, but the â??Bofors Syndromeâ?? simply derailed the process.

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The debate about the Gorshkov has revolved around two issues. The first is about the need for a carrier, while the other is about the cost and wisdom of buying an old carrier. Yet, both sides of the debate have been arguing strongly in favour of providing adequate and capable air cover for the navy at sea. One can easily be misled by esoteric arguments for a blue or brown water navy. But one must recognize that any country that possesses legitimate naval interests away from its land, and can afford it, would need air power integral to the fleet.