Chinese actions in the Indian Ocean prompt the Navy to send a carrier force to the eastern seaboard

The Indian Navy is actively considering renting a jetty at a private port north of Chennai to berth an aircraft carrier as it plans to deploy one of the two aircraft carriers on the eastern seaboard. The Indian Navy's first aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, is expected to resume sailing and fighter operations after a major refit by mid-December.

As the Modi administration works to finalise the agreement for 26 maritime fighter jets for the indigenous aircraft carrier, Sebastien Lecornu, the minister of defence for France, will board India's recently commissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of Kochi today. One of the candidates for the contract is the Rafale-M, which is made by Dassault, and the other is the F-18 fighter, which is made by Boeing. Although the extent of participation is unknown, China has pushed its Indian Ocean agenda by hosting a virtual gathering of 19 nations and three organisations on November 21 in Kunming, Yunnan province. It is known that Beijing has established the China Industrial Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCO) to compete with USAID, reportedly to develop the littoral states in the Indian Ocean region. During his most recent visit to Sri Lanka, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed creating a forum to develop Indian Ocean islands. Another issue is whether nations like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, and Myanmar, which are already struggling with Chinese high-interest debt for infrastructure projects associated with the Belt Road Initiative, will be interested in accepting additional loans from the communist regime.The Indian Navy is pressing for the deployment of large warships along India's eastern coastline in light of China's decision to expand its naval presence in the Indian Ocean region, in order to respond to any emergent scenario in Southeast Asia more quickly. The Indian Navy intends to deploy a carrier task force at Karwar and elsewhere along the eastern seaboard, despite the fact that it will take INS Vikrant at least a year to become combat-ready. Not only will a carrier strike force on the eastern seaboard offer military deterrence, but it will also enable a quicker response to any military emergency in the South China Sea or the Malacca Straits. 

The initial design called for the construction of a jetty outside of Visakhapatnam's harbour to be used for berthing aircraft carriers, but the $2,000,000,000 plan has been hanging fire in the South Block between the equally hesitant Naval Headquarters and the Defence Ministry. It is understood that the Indian Navy wants to rent a jetty at Kattupalli port, which is located north of Chennai, in order to berth the Indian aircraft carrier until the Visakhapatnam pier receives green light. The Vishakhapatnam project hasn't even received the Defense Ministry's approval as of yet, the truth be told.The PLA Navy is already mapping the Indian Ocean sea bed using the Yuan Wang series of strategic survey and missile tracking ships, with Sri Lanka providing logistical support in the past through China's leased Hambantota port or even refuelling PLA vessels on the high seas, while the Indian military-civilian bureaucracy debates over urgently needed strategic projects.