Western media reports In a word, India's aircraft carrier is used to fight against China - the attempt to pull India into the water is too obvious.
Now the Indian army is trying to wash away the mark left by the UK.
The Indian Navy finally got its first home-made aircraft carrier "Vikrant" on September 2.
About the performance of this aircraft carrier, the old driver has introduced it many times: it has a displacement of more than 40,000 tons, uses a ski-jump deck to take off, and can carry about 30 various carrier-based aircraft , including 12 MiG- 29K fighter jets and Ka-31 early warning helicopters . Although its service process is full of ups and downs, in terms of overall performance, if not compared with China, the "Vikrant" is really among the best in the navies of other Asian countries.
But what does this aircraft carrier really mean? Western and Indian media focus on very different angles.
Western media generally associate the service of the "Vikrant" with "containment of the Chinese Navy". For example, CNN said the new aircraft carrier will enable India to play a greater role in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue exercise consisting of the United States, Japan, Australia and India.
As we all know, the "four-sided security dialogue" mechanism is aimed at China.
The Associated Press has repeatedly emphasized that the domestic aircraft carrier enters service at a time when India is seeking to compete with the larger and growing fleet of "regional rival" China and expand its own indigenous shipbuilding capabilities. The report exaggerated that the scope of the Chinese navy's activities has expanded to the Indian Ocean, the Western Pacific and other regions, which has aroused high concern in India. The US media even mentioned the previous Chinese "Yuanwang 5" space survey ship to Sri Lanka, saying that "India is worried that it may be used to monitor the area."
These reports by Western media, in a word, the aircraft carrier of India is used to fight against China - the attempt to pull India into the water is too obvious.
But the old driver noticed that although the Indian media had hyped up the "Chinese Navy Threat Theory" before, but when the "Vikrant" was actually in service, the Indian media's position was quite stable, more expressing their concern for the country's shipbuilding. The ability has been greatly improved, and there is basically no mention of China.
Indian Prime Minister Modi attended the commissioning ceremony of the "Vikrant" aircraft carrier on the morning of the 2nd. He said that the aircraft carrier is not only a "war machine", but a display of Indian skills and talents. "It is special and unusual." Modi said that the "Vikrant" has proved our determination to promote the "self-reliant India" policy and is the pride of every Indian. Today, India has become one of the few in the world with the most advanced technology. One of the nation's defense technology. The
"India Times" quoted the Indian Ministry of Defense as saying that more than 75% of the components of this domestic aircraft carrier are purchased locally, and India has 6 large industrial companies and more than 100 small enterprises to provide equipment and machinery. What makes India particularly proud is that the special steel used in the hull of the aircraft carrier is also developed by India, which has changed the history that the construction of the ship of the Indian army must rely on imported steel.
India's "Print" said that the aircraft carrier is the largest warship built in India, it is 262 meters long and 62 meters wide. It can accommodate nearly 1,600 crew members. The ship consists of 14 decks with 2,300 compartments. According to the plan of the Indian Navy, the current "Vikrant" may be considered to be replaced by the US-made "Super Hornet" or the French-made "Rafale" fighter in the future, but they are all temporary substitutes, and eventually the Indian aircraft carrier will be used by India. twin-engine carrier-based fighter. What
particularly surprised the outside world is that this time, instead of advocating "against China" following the tune of the Western media, India officially announced the abandonment of the traditional British-colored naval flag at the service ceremony of the domestic aircraft carrier. At this special moment, the decolonization of the Indian Navy has attracted more attention than the service of the aircraft carrier itself. The new version of the Indian Navy's flag was unveiled. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office of India, the new armyThe flag's complete abandonment of the British Navy 's heavily coloured St George's Cross design means abandoning India's "colonial history" and "complimenting India's rich maritime heritage".
with the St. George's Cross design of the earlier Indian flag (top) and the newly launched Indian Navy flag (bottom)
reported that despite 75 years of independence, the Indian army still continues the traditions of the British colonial era. British naval officers visiting the Indian Navy often found that their Indian counterparts were still using colonial-era "classical English", and the drinks and food served on board were full of British Navy characteristics.
But now the Indian Army is trying to wash away the mark left by the UK.
The "Vikrant" flying the new version of the naval flag
"Indian Express" detailed the development of the Indian Navy flag: when India became independent in 1947, the British Navy flag was temporarily used. After the establishment of the Indian Republic in 1950, the Indian Navy flag was used. Continuing to use the overall design of the British Navy, the St. George's Cross on the white flag is the same as the British Navy flag, only the in the upper left corner is replaced with the Indian tricolor flag. Since then, the Indian Navy flag has undergone many revisions, but the design of St. George's Cross has been retained to this day.
When India's new aircraft carrier was commissioned, instead of expressing its intention to target China, it started to colonize the West. Presumably, such an action made some Western media who were bent on instigating India to fight against China very upset. Regardless of the Indian side's considerations, the old driver sincerely hopes that the Indian side can make this good start last longer.
