The Kievs still had potential, as is highlighted by the neverending India/Gorshkov story. I suppose the endless delays have more to do with the detiriorating material condition of the Gorshkov than with design flaws. In the end it might have been cheaper and faster for the indians to have ordered a new carrier to a modified Kiev design at a russian shipyard
But I suppose the loadout limitations will apply to the indian MiG-29s as well, so that the Vikra...somthing will be a purely defensive vessel. I've always wondered about indians and carriers anyway, as every target in Pakistan is well within range of land based aviation. So I suppose the carrier is just to be regarded as a big boy among international navies. But it surely seems that currently everybody and his dog is getting at least some kind of aircraft carrier, even though it is mostly disguised as something else like "Helicopter destroyer", "joint support ship", "air defense vessel", "new major surface unit" or whatever...