India has an aircraft carrier

[Harvs]

India has built its first aircraft carrier, looks pretty slick.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/india-launches-its-first-homegrown-aircraft-carrier-amid-surging-asian-arms-race/story-fnpjxnlk-1227392767321

[james_nix]

It's going to take all hands on deck to keep China in check.

[Betonov]

This will be used more as a leverage against Pakistan than China though.

[Jimbuna]

Good luck to them, I consider India an ally to the UK in some ways.

[Aktungbby]

It's going to take all hands on deck to keep China in check.

Precisely!: India and China still have boundary disputes "up in them thar hills"( The Himalayas)- no matter: 'all things on land are tactical all things at sea are strategic'. Another anti-Sino carrier will lend weight to Japan, Brunai VietNam and the Phillipine impending struggle against brazen imperialist acquisition in the Spratley Islands. OF SOME INTEREST AND ULTIMATELY the real key to it all: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~mert1769/Diego%20Garcia.pdf (http://users.ox.ac.uk/~mert1769/Diego%20Garcia.pdf) When you are the world's (defacto) policeman ya gotta have boots in the middle of the 'Indian' Ocean....http://poc.professionalover1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/deigo-garcia.jpg (http://wp.me/p3NZJG-5LL)The U.S. military has considered this 17-square-mile atoll of coral and sand in the middle of the Indian Ocean, one of the most valuable pieces of real estate on Earth. The treaty making it American ends in 2036 and India has protested the US presence in the past- As China is on a long lsow territorial ascent I imagine the treaty will be renewed and India isn't complaining as much. IMHO WWIII will center on this place.

[Wolferz]

Me brother was stationed on Diego Garcia for a little while during his naval service. He called me from there once. Not through normal channels either.:arrgh!:

[james_nix]

Precisely!: India and China still have boundary disputes "up in them thar hills"( The Himalayas)- no matter: 'all things on land are tactical all things at sea are strategic'. Another anti-Sino carrier will lend weight to Japan, Brunai VietNam and the Phillipine impending struggle against brazen imperialist acquisition in the Spratley Islands. OF SOME INTEREST AND ULTIMATELY the real key to it all: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~mert1769/Diego%20Garcia.pdf (http://users.ox.ac.uk/~mert1769/Diego%20Garcia.pdf) When you are the world's (defacto) policeman ya gotta have boots in the middle of the 'Indian' Ocean....http://poc.professionalover1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/deigo-garcia.jpg (http://wp.me/p3NZJG-5LL)The U.S. military has considered this 17-square-mile atoll of coral and sand in the middle of the Indian Ocean, one of the most valuable pieces of real estate on Earth. The treaty making it American ends in 2036 and India has protested the US presence in the past- As China is on a long lsow territorial ascent I imagine the treaty will be renewed and India isn't complaining as much. IMHO WWIII will center on this place.

I worked of Diego Garcia from 2008-2013 at the GEODSS site there (satellite tracking).

They have scores and scores of cargo ships just sitting in the harbor, filled with enough tanks, jeeps, tractors, bulldozers, arms and ammunition, etc. to take over a small country. Just sitting there waiting for something to happen.

And while I was there they added a sub tender!

I kind of miss it sometimes because it was so beautiful there, but also it was very isolated and I had to work 12-hour shifts, so not much time to enjoy the beautiful island.

Also there were like 20 guys to every woman! Some Navy women but most of them were Philippinas contract workers for base facilities.

[Platapus]

Those clumsy Indians. They went and bent the nose of the boat. Now they can't return it. Sheeesh.

[Stealhead]

Didn't they have some old Royal Navy carriers at one time? Well I know they did because they flew Sea Harriers as well maybe they where ex Spanish Navy CVs.

[Aktungbby]

Correct! the INS Vikrant was the British built Hercules a Majestic class carrier used in the 70's Indian Pakistan war. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/INS_Vikrant_circa_1984_carrying_a_unique_complemen t_of_Sea_Harriers%2C_Sea_Hawks%2C_Allouette_%26_Se a_King_helicopters_and_Alize_ASW.jpg/300px-INS_Vikrant_circa_1984_carrying_a_unique_complemen t_of_Sea_Harriers%2C_Sea_Hawks%2C_Allouette_%26_Se a_King_helicopters_and_Alize_ASW.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:INS_Vikrant_circa_1984_carrying_a_unique_comp lement_of_Sea_Harriers,_Sea_Hawks,_Allouette_%26_S ea_King_helicopters_and_Alize_ASW.jpg)The INS also operates the Kiev class Russian built INS Vikramaditya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikramaditya)http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/INS_Vikramaditya_%28R33%29_close_shot.jpg/300px-INS_Vikramaditya_%28R33%29_close_shot.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:INS_Vikramaditya_(R33)_close_shot.jpg)AS well as the Vickers-Armstrong built INS Vitaat built 1944 and still in service http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/INS_Viraat_front_view.jpg/300px-INS_Viraat_front_view.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:INS_Viraat_front_view.jpg)The last two in a respectable task force pic in the Arabian Sea.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Indian_Navy_flotilla_of_Western_Fleet_escort_INS_V ikramaditya_%28R33%29_and_INS_Viraat_%28R22%29_in_ the_Arabian_Sea.jpg/1024px-Indian_Navy_flotilla_of_Western_Fleet_escort_INS_V ikramaditya_%28R33%29_and_INS_Viraat_%28R22%29_in_ the_Arabian_Sea.jpg

[Harvs]

Those clumsy Indians. They went and bent the nose of the boat. Now they can't return it. Sheeesh.

Maybe the dry dock wasn't long enough so they had to compromise :hmmm:

[Aktungbby]

That wouldn't have happened with ADM Kincaid around to supervise.http://www.scotsconnection.com/clan_crests/images/kincaidclancrest.jpg:arrgh!:

[Mr Quatro]

Good luck to them, I consider India an ally to the UK in some ways.

Russia and India are a little too friendly in arms trading to me, especially submarine's.

India and China are getting along just fine (Oct 2013): http://in.rbth.com/blogs/2013/10/24/why_a_russia-india-china_alliance_is_an_idea_whose_time_has_come_3034 5.html

The two countries (China and India) also signed a border agreement which the Chinese side described as a "landmark" legal document to regulate the behaviour of troops on both sides.
The Prime Ministers of India and Russia both arriving in Beijing on the same day had political strategists wondering if Chinese President Xi Jinping is trying to develop a new alliance. In fact they have an long relationship


“Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov first came up with the idea of a trilateral alliance between Russia, China and India back in the 1990s, with a major breakthrough occurring in July 2006 at the G8 summit in St Petersburg when President Vladimir Putin organised a meeting between the leaders of the three countries at the time.”

[nikimcbee]

Good luck to them, I consider India an ally to the UK in some ways.

http://static.dnaindia.com/sites/default/files/1772974.jpg
...and don't you forget it Mr. Booona!

[Jimbuna]

http://static.dnaindia.com/sites/default/files/1772974.jpg
...and don't you forget it Mr. Booona!

Certainly not in cricket terms :)