Indian Naval Air Arm
Naval Aviation is a vital arm of the Indian Navy for undertaking tasks such as maritime reconnaissance, fleet air defence, carrier borne strikes against maritime targets, ships and shore borne air anti-submarine warfare. search and rescue (SAR) etc. To undertake these tasks, a variety of aircraft and helicopters are employed by the Navy.
Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said in August 2008 that "By 2022, we plan to have 160-plus ship navy, including three aircraft carriers, 60 major combatants, including submarines and close to 400 aircraft of different types. This will be a formidable three dimensional force with satellite surveillance and networking to provide force multiplication." By one estimate by 2020 the Indian Navy aircraft inventory could be about 400 aircraft, including:
- 30 ASW aircraft (Including long range, medium range, short range)
- 50 ASW helicopters - (Sea King and Kamov)
- 35 Transport aircraft
- 120 Carrier-Based Aircraft - 3 Aircraft Carriers @ 40 A/C each [includes 1/2 of ASW helos]
- 85 other aircraft [35 fixed wing trainers, 35 utility helicopters, and 15 other helicopters], and
- 120 other aircraft not otherwise accounted for, possibly coastal defense fighters
The Indian Navy maintains a large inventory of Aircraft and Weapon systems procured from various countries across the world. Maintenance of this inventory involves replacement and repair of components modules, sub-assemblies and major assemblies. IN exploits these resources optimally, well beyond the conservative life stipulated by OEMs. It has been India's experience that the product support from OEMs invariably dries up well before this optimal exploitation by IN. Therefore, indigenisation has been the thrust area of Naval aviation for over two decades. Apart from self-reliance and reduced inventories through shorter supply chain, the process helps in absorption of the current technology by the indigenous industry and has long-term spin-offs for the Nation.
Carrier Aviation
As of 2008 the Rs 476-crore upgrade of the remaining 10 Sea Harrier jump-jets, which operated from India's solitary carrier INS Viraat, was underway.
On 20 January 2004 India finalized the purchase of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov after over a decade of negotiations. But Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes did not reach agreement on other weapons, such as the Tu-22 Backfire bombers or Akula-class nuclear submarines, and nothing was subsequently heard of a Tu-22M lease.
As a part of the $1.5 billion Admiral Gorshkov, India purchased 12 single-seater Mig 29K fighters and four twin-seater MiG-29KUB combat-cum-trainer aircraft to equip the carrier. The four Mig-29KUB trainers were expected to be delivered in 2007 to allow India to train its pilots prior to the delivery of the remaining 12 fighters to be completed by 2009. By mid-2008 the delivery of 16 MiG-29Ks from Russia was slated to begin from October 2008. As of February 2009 it was expected that the first four MiG-29Ks would arrive in India later in 2009, with the other 12 being delivered by 2010.
By mid-2008 plans were to go in for another 30-36 of the fighters. As per the contract, the Navy had the option to purchase another 30 MiG-29K with deliveries up to 2015 to equip the Gorshkov and the new Air Defence Ship being built at the Kochi docks. The Gorshkov was expected to be able to accomodate up to 24 MiG-29Ks as well as six Kamov-28 and KA-31 helicopters. The MiG-29Ks will be supplemented by the naval variant of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is designed to carry 12 MiG-29Ks, eight LCA and 10 helicopters.
By mid-2009 it was anticipated that the first six MiG-29K/KUBs along with eight pilots, 39 technicians and four ground engineers will have arrived at Dabolim. The supplementary contract for an additional 29 MiG-29K/KUBs was inked in December 2008 and includes four MiG-29KUBs, Thus, in all the Indian Navy would have, by 2012, eight MiG-29KUBs and 37 MiG-29Ks.
| Viraat | Vikramaditya | Vikrant | TOTAL | |
| TOTAL | 37 | 26 - 30 | 30 | |
| LCA Tejas | - | - | 8 | 8 |
| Mig 29K | - | 16 - 24 | 12 | 45 |
| Sea Harrier | 30 | . | . | 30 |
| Ka-28 | - | 6 - 10 | 10 | 20 |
| Ka-31 Helix | - | |||
| Sea King Mk 42A/B | 7 | - | - | 7 |
