Exclusive: Ex-Navy Chief On Rafale Jets And Chinese Threat In Indian Ocean

The Indian Navy will soon get 26 Rafale-M fighter aircraft, a significant upgrade in its fighter fleet in over a decade. Sources told NDTV that a government-to-government deal of Rs 63,000 crore will be signed soon between India and France to finalise the deal.

The Navy currently operates the MiG-29K fighter jets for its two aircraft carriers - INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. The Navy will induct 26 Rafale-M fighter jets - 22 single-seater fighters and four double-seater trainer aircraft. 

"Rafale - A Kinetic Push" 

Former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, spoke to NDTV on the induction of the Rafale fighter jets, explaining how it will add a "kinetic push in the Navy's striking power". The former Navy chief also spoke on Chinese aircraft carrier deployments in the Indian Ocean and on the debate over whether aircraft carriers are more vulnerable to attacks than they have ever been.

On a question about what the Rafale addition means for the Navy, Admiral Prakash said, "It's going to add a huge punch, kinetic punch to Indian Navy's striking power in many dimensions, air defense, anti-shipping strike, electronic warfare, you name it. The Rafale is a fine and capable aircraft. It's a welcome addition. The Rafale is probably half a generation or a generation ahead of the MiG-29K. So it's going to add a punch to the fleet at sea."

To a follow-up question on how it adds a punch to the fighter fleet, Admiral Prakash explained, "The MiG-29K was an adaptation of a land-based fighter, the MiG-29. And when we got it, it was virtually in a prototype state. It took a few years to sort out all the bugs to achieve stable operations. But the Rafale comes about 10 years after the MiG-29. So it's electronics, it's data fusion, and the weapons it carries will certainly make it a more capable aircraft than the MiG-29." 

"It will certainly add to the kinetic punch of the fleet at sea, to the aircraft carriers. When we acquired the Vikramaditya and the Vikrant, we hadn't factored in the acquisition of the Rafale, or for that matter, any other fighter other than the MiG-29K, perhaps the Tejas."

The Indian Air Force operates 36 Rafale fighter jets in two squadrons -  The 17 Squadron (the Golden Arrows) and the 101 Squadron (The Falcons), based in Ambala and Hashimara, respectively. The 4.5 generation multi-role fighter aircraft is capable of conducting all combat aviation missions like air superiority, close-air-support, ground attack missions, electronic warfare, etc. 

According to its manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, all the variants - Rafale C (Air Force) and Rafale-M (Marine) have the maximum airframe and equipment commonality.

'MiG-29 Was A Hobson's Choice For Us'

Admiral Prakash, who was closely involved during the induction of the INS Vikramaditya, further explained the reason behind the induction of the MiG-29 into the Navy and said it was more of a "Hobson's choice for us".

INS Vikramaditya was a Kiev-class aircraft carrier and was named Admiral Gorshkov in Russia. The acquisition of Gorshkov had been under consideration since 1994, and 10 years later, in 2004, a deal was signed between India and Russia. 

Admiral Arun Prakash oversaw the induction of the aircraft carrier into the Navy. Speaking to NDTV, the former Navy chief said, "When we were negotiating for the Gorshkov, which later became the Vikramaditya. That was the late 1990s. Then, firstly, there were no ski-jump capable aircraft available other than the Sea Harrier, which we already had. And the Russians were just developing the MiG-29 and the Sukhoi-27. We went to the French; we sent a team to France to evaluate the Rafale, and they said, Sorry, at this point, we cannot offer you the Rafale-M. And of course, those days, the political situation did not allow us to even contemplate acquiring, say, an F-18 or something. Of course, apart from the fact that the F-18 had not been proved off the ski-jump."

"Our choices were limited. And then, when we started negotiating for the Vikramaditya-Gorshkov, the MiG-29 was more or less a Hobson's choice for us. So we had to take it. It's only subsequently that the Americans offered the F-18; they proved it off the ski-jump, the French proved the Rafale off the ski-jump, and they came to India to go out to do it. And then we had these options available." The MiG-29K fighter jets were inducted into the Naval fighter fleet in 2013, and in 2016, India phased out the last remaining Sea Harriers after almost 30 years of years.

The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet underwent operational demonstration tests at the ski-jump facility at INS Hansa in Goa in 2022. However, with India's decision to opt for the Rafale, the US fighter jet failed to secure a place in the Indian Air Force or Navy.

Admiral Prakash said the Rafale fighter jets will be an addition to the naval variant of the India-made Tejas fighter jet, which is still in trials for the sea and the future Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF).

In its 2015 report, the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) highlighted issues with the MiG-29K's airframe, its RD MK-33 engine and its fly-by-wire system, and said the "Aircraft were being technically accepted despite having discrepancies/anomalies." 

Chinese Threat In The Indian Ocean?

To a question on whether it's just a matter of time before Chinese carrier battle groups deploy in the Indian Ocean region, Admiral Prakash said, "Yes, the fact that we've not seen a Chinese task force cruising around in our waters is because they lack air cover, integral air cover. But as soon as they have three aircraft, they've already got two, and a third one is doing trials. But as soon as they can spare an aircraft carrier, which will provide air cover, organic air cover to their forces, maritime forces, I do not doubt that they will put in an appearance in our waters."

"The fact that they've got birthing facilities in Djibouti, where they set up their first overseas base, means that they've got logistic support of their own, not just in Pakistan (Gwadar port), which is an ally."

China has commissioned two aircraft carriers - Liaoning and Shandong - the former is a Soviet-era aircraft carrier, which Beijing commissioned in 2012, and the latter is its first domestically built carrier. The third aircraft carrier, Fujian, is China's largest and most advanced aircraft carrier ever built, with a potent aircraft launching system. Fujian underwent sea trials and is yet to be commissioned.

The US Department of Defence, in its latest report on Chinese naval modernization, said Beijing is reportedly building a fourth aircraft carrier similar to Fujian and is expected to be nuclear-powered

Admiral Prakash said if China comes into our waters, then the nearest base is at least 3,000 nautical miles away in Hainan, leading to an extended logistical
 Chain for them. So if a need arises for them for technical assistance and logistical support, then "Djibouti is a great reassurance" for the Chinese Navy and "if they get Gwadar, it will be a bonus."

Aircraft Carriers More Vulnerable To Attacks?

Admiral Arun Prakash was a naval aviator and a gallantry award recipient. He was one of the two pilots who were deputed to the Indian Air Force during the 1971 war, where he flew the Hawker Hunters and was awarded a Vir Chakra for action in the air.

Admiral Prakash disagreed with the argument that aircraft carriers are vulnerable, especially after the attacks in the Black Sea in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and drone attacks from Houthis on naval platforms in the Red Sea. 

"Well, inherently, an aircraft carrier is possibly the most protected warship there is. It has its fighter cover. It has radar coverage. It has anti-submarine helicopters. So, an aircraft carrier protects the rest of the fleet. It's the wrong logic to think that it needs escorts. It does need escorts, but it's a mutual sort of relationship. And I think we must focus on the recent events," the former Navy chief said.

"Firstly, the Houthis have been firing ballistic missiles, I don't know how capable those missiles are, at American aircraft carriers. They've all been shot down. No US Navy carrier has so far been affected by that."

"Secondly, Iran launched a few hundred missiles at Israel in the recent past. Most of those missiles were shot down, not just by the Israeli Iron Dome system, but by US Navy ships which were parked in the eastern Mediterranean. Their anti-ballistic missile defense shot down most of the ballistic missiles fired by Iran," he said.

"This scare of aircraft carriers being overly susceptible to missile attacks has now, I think, been more or less proved otherwise. Aircraft carriers can defend themselves...So, let's not frighten ourselves overly about the vulnerability of aircraft carriers. They have so much more," Admiral Prakash said.