Just in the spirit of what the Indian air chief is speculating, I just added the BD factor as well
and the counter argument to anyone rubbishing my suggestion is that BD becoming hostile is as unlikely as India having to face/ open two active fronts against both China and Pakistan It has never happened before has it?
Also, my comment about Indian Navy's combat air arm vs BD air force was not meant to be condescending towards BD air force. While asking the question originally I realized that I was missing the Indian Navy and its carrier here (which back in the 71 war played a very successful part).
so, for the sake of the wargaming and staying true to a hypothetical scenario of India facing multi-pronged air hostilities, I decided that IAF would have to worry much about BD air force’s sneak attack as it can be kept at check and reduced to a defensive role in the presence of Indian aircraft carrier and its entire support group in bay of Bengal.
People, sometimes do allow yourself a healthy and informative debate instead of sarcasm and insults, before you know it you will be spiting blood and poison from your nostrils and behinds if this habit translates into your daily life.
read my answer in the above part.
Depends entirely on the time frame.
If it is in the
2016-2025 period, then definitely No. We would have only 1 CBG. That is going to be put to use in Malacca to choke PLAN in the straits. A Carrier adds zero incremental gain against Pakistan as it is a neighbouring country and we have countless air bases against Pakistan plus our Heavy Fighter is extremely long range. It can even use air bases in South India to attack Pakistan and still have fuel to fly back there. Most of our military infrastructure is geared towards Pakistan. So the cost-benefit doesn't add up for using a Carrier against Pakistan.
A SAG(Surface Action Group) would be deployed off Pakistani coast definitely, but not a CBG.
If the attack period is
after 2025, then there is a slight possibility of using a Carrier against BD because by then we would have 2 CBG's. With our current pace of shipbuilding, we are well on course to fielding 2 CBGs by 2025. The second Carrier being built now has already been floated out of dock, its structure is already built.
I use the word CBG and not just Carrier, because without its escorts (primarily long range AAW frigates/destroyers the kind of which are only just now entering service in IN and submarines) a carrier is dead meat.
If the plan is
after 2030, then definitely. We would be a 3 Carrier force by then. Which is IN's goal as well.
Being a 3 CBG force. Each permanently deployed for each of India's coasts. One for Arabian Sea, One for BoB/Malacca Straits and the 3rd one in the yard in peacetime or in war time deployed to Southern Indian Ocean.
To be as polite as possible..
ABAY KAUNSI TWO FRONT WAR?!!
KYA KHA KAR AISA KHATARNAAK SAPNA VEKHA HAI SARDARJI!!??
Sprite ki botal pi aur dakar le.. gas upar charh gai hai.
There is NO two front scenario EVER!. It is total fiction and war warmongering brought up by India's military and associated hawkish bureaucrats to push their modernization requirements along.
I don't see the problem here. You hope for the best and plan for the worst.
There is a reason why Govt of India pushed so hard to resolve our border and maritime disputes with Bangladesh and Myanmar to the extent of giving away a massive
additional 10,000 acres of land and tens of thousands of acres in sea in the final settlement. It is because we want to preempt any hostility with any other country and give any third party an opportunity to incite our neighbours.
Not just that we ensured that Bangladesh and Myanmar also resolved both their land and maritime borders in a full and final settlement.
Where there are irritants, there is a possibility of someone else taking advantage.
We conveyed to Sri Lanka that despite Tamil Nadu's constant desire to take some Islands from Sri Lanka, we will honour our agreement and not ask for it. That we have fully and finally settled our sea borders with Sri Lanka.
Now, India has -
finally and thank god for it - resolved its borders(both land or sea) with all but 2 of its neighbours. We have settled our borders with Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
Not just that , we have ensured that our neighbours(BD and Myanmar) also have settled borders so that there is peace, trade and not instability there which affects us.