BY : TNN

: Here's a real shocker: India, which fancies itself as an emerging superpower, currently does not have an operational aircraft carrier cruising the high seas to project power and guard its huge maritime interests.

The country's solitary aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, with its complement of Sea Harrier jump-jets, helicopters and 1,500 crew, is out of action at the Mumbai harbour.

The ageing 13-storey-high carrier will remain docked till at least July 2009 - first at Mumbai and then at Kochi - for an elaborate life-extension refit, say top sources.

This potentially dangerous state of affairs is a direct outcome of the failure of successive governments to undertake long-term defence planning to build military capabilities in tune with the country's geostrategic objectives.

Over the years, the Navy has time and again told the political leadership that a country like India needs three aircraft carriers - one each for the eastern and western seaboards, while the third undergoes repairs - to protect its growing strategic interests stretching from Africa's eastern coast right up to Malacca Strait.

Aircraft carrier battle groups (CBGs), after all, project offensive power like nothing else. The US, for instance, has 11 CBGs deployed around the globe, and has used some of them as the primary base for launching air operations as well as firing cruise missiles during Iraq's invasion.

But political procrastination has cost India dear. For one, the government's sheer inability to take timely decisions led to a delay of several years in launching the indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) project at Cochin Shipyard.

As things stand now, the 37,500-tonne IAC will be ready to sail only by 2014 or so.

Then again, the haggling between India and Russia over the latter's demand for an additional $1.2 billion for the refit of the 44,570-tonne aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov is yet to be fully resolved.

As per the initial January 2004 package deal signed with Russia, India was to pay $1.5 billion for Gorshkov's refurbishment and 16 MiG-29K 'Fulcrum' supersonic fighters to operate from its deck. The delivery date was then fixed at August 2008.

With India willing to pay another $600-800 million, it now hopes to get Gorshkov - rechristened INS Vikramaditya - by 2012.

In the meantime, the Navy is being forced to flog the old warhorse, the 28,000-tonne INS Viraat, which is already 49 years old.

The refit's main focus will be on the entire 'propulsion package', including refurbishment of the carrier's boilers, apart from upgrade of its 'sensor suite', weapon systems and central air-conditioning system. This will be followed by the "underwater repair package" at Kochi.