How Many Aircraft Carriers Does India Have? Vikrant and Vikramaditya

India operates two aircraft carriers: INS Vikramaditya, a rebuilt Soviet-era ship bought from Russia, and INS Vikrant, the first carrier designed and built in India, which was commissioned in 2022. That makes India one of only a handful of countries able to deploy two carriers. Both launch MiG-29K fighters from a ski-jump ramp, and the navy has ordered 26 Rafale M fighters to replace the troubled MiG-29Ks. A third carrier has been discussed for years but not yet approved.

This guide covers India’s carriers, the aircraft they carry and how they compare with China’s.

How many aircraft carriers does India have?

India has operated aircraft carriers for longer than any other Asian country. Its first, the original INS Vikrant, was a British-built ship commissioned in 1961, and it saw combat in the 1971 war with Pakistan. It was followed by INS Viraat, the former British HMS Hermes, which served until 2017. Today’s two carriers give the navy the ability to keep one at sea while the other is in maintenance.

INS Vikramaditya

INS Vikramaditya began life as the Soviet aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov. India bought it in 2004 and Russia rebuilt it as a full carrier with a ski-jump bow, a process that took years longer and cost far more than planned. It was commissioned in 2013 and carries MiG-29K fighters and Kamov and other helicopters. As an older ship, it spends long periods in refit.

INS Vikrant: India’s own carrier

INS Vikrant, commissioned in September 2022, was designed by the Indian Navy and built by Cochin Shipyard, making India one of the few countries able to design and build its own carrier. It displaces about 45,000 tonnes and uses a ski-jump launch with arrestor wires for landing, a system known as STOBAR. It is conventionally powered, like Vikramaditya. Its air wing includes MiG-29K fighters and helicopters, and from the end of the decade it is due to carry Rafale M jets.

MiG-29K, Rafale M and the future air wing

The MiG-29K has been a disappointment for the Indian Navy, with poor serviceability and several crashes. In April 2025 India ordered 26 Rafale M carrier fighters from France to replace it on Vikrant, with deliveries expected from around 2028. In the longer term India plans its own twin-engine deck-based fighter. The Rafale fleet is described in our guide to Indian fighter jets.

How does India compare with China?

China now has three carriers, including the catapult-equipped Fujian, and is building a fourth, as our guide to Chinese aircraft carriers shows. India’s two ski-jump carriers cannot launch heavy aircraft such as airborne early-warning planes. That is the main argument for a third, larger Indian carrier, but it faces competition for money from submarines and land-based aircraft.

Frequently asked questions

How many aircraft carriers does India have?

Two: INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.

Is INS Vikrant made in India?

Yes. It was designed by the Indian Navy and built by Cochin Shipyard, and commissioned in 2022.

What aircraft fly from Indian carriers?

MiG-29K fighters and helicopters today. India has ordered 26 Rafale M fighters for its carriers.

Does India have a nuclear-powered carrier?

No. Both Indian carriers are conventionally powered.

Will India build a third aircraft carrier?

The navy wants one, known as IAC-2, but the government had not approved it by October 2026.

How do India’s carriers compare with China’s?

China has three carriers, including one with catapults; India has two smaller ski-jump carriers.