Indian Navy's new fighter jet, the MiG-29K

The lethal Russian-made MiG-29K maritime fighter planes were formally inducted into the Indian Navy's air arm on February 19, 2010. "With induction of MiG-29Ks, coupled with the future inductions of aircraft carriers, our Navy's capability will see a quantum jump," said Defence Minister A K Antony during the ceremony.

The Navy has acquired the MiG-29Ks after a wait of over two decades. Sea Harriers, the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) British-made maritime planes, were the last to be bought by the Navy in the 80s.

The MiG-29Ks' strength will go up to 29 over the next few years, as they replace the Sea Harriers. These aircraft will form the backbone of carrier operations for the Indian Navy in the future.

The MiG-29Ks bring in state-of-the-art technology. Unlike the Sea Harriers, they have the ability to attack the enemy without physical sighting. They can also refuel in air, giving them additional reach.

But practical problems remain. The planes are here at least two years before their aircraft carrier. The MiG-29Ks are to be deployed on under-construction Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov - INS Vikramaditya - that is likely to be inducted in the Navy by 2012

The MiG-29Ks may be one of the most advanced platform for naval warfare, but the Navy still doesn't have a ship that they can take off from. At present, India has only one aircraft carrier INS Viraat, but the MiG-29Ks cannot be operated from it as they are too big to take off or land from the around 28,000-tonne warship.

After the induction, the maritime warplanes will be operated for around two years from the under-development shore-based testing facility (SBTF) and airstrips at Naval air base INS Hansa till the actual delivery of Gorshkov.