What a load of cr@p from TOIlet. The INS VIRAAT is still knocking around, yes it is not the most potent ACC out there but it is better than nothing. Secondly the VIKRAMDITYA will be in India by the end of 2013 and the IAC-1 will be in sailing by 2019 at the latest with all subsequent ACC projects taking lessons from the IAC-1 calamity. As with all such projects in India- the first one is always extremely drawn-out but the gains are made and subsequent designs and types are much more readily available.
Additionally this jounro fails to understand the sheer size of the learning curve confronting the PLAN. For a navy with zero ACC operational experience, who has zero ACC-operating friends to learn and interact with it i going to be an uphill battle to come to terms with the day-say running of an ACC let alone integrating this asset into the PLA(N)'s combat doctrine. On top of this the actual combat effectiveness of the Liaoning which, let's not forget, was brought to China in a complete state of disrepair, not even under its own power, after having been sat idle for years and was only sold to China to be used as a casino not a warship as such all the major combat systems were stripped long before. Yes the Chinese have a capable ship-building industry bet there is no doubt the Liaoning is going to be lacking on the tech front. Adding on top of this the Chinese are going to have to learn all their lessons "on-the-job" and operating high-performance supersonic jets of an ACC is not for the faint-hearted but when you have never done it before and are attempting to do so with no help from the outside it is bordering on lunacy.
As such the Liaoning is little more than a training ship.
As for the other ACCs supposedly in the pipeline by China, well I'll believe that when I see it and, again, I would be skeptical of these ships' technological capabilities.
One of the biggest advantages India has is friends willing to share and partner to develop the latest cutting edge tech to be used in Indian military service. And India has decades of ACC operational experience on its side and plenty of friends willing to share their own experience.
I'd say, all things considered, India and China are set to be about even on the ACC front for the next 10-15 years.
+ what is with this article? I don't like how these sensationalist media houses are following the US's example of using China as the go-to "bogey-man". The day when Indian and Chinese ACCs will be facing off in the same bit of water is many decades out for now both are interested in their immediate neighbourhoods.