China’s Fujian: A New Wave in the Asia-Pacific Naval Race

China has commissioned its third and most advanced aircraft carrier, Fujian, marking a major boost to its expanding navy. With electromagnetic launch systems and capacity for over 50 aircraft, it joins Liaoning and Shandong as part of China’s growing maritime power. Meanwhile, India, operating two carriers, seeks a third to counterbalance China’s rapid naval expansion.

China has officially inducted its third aircraft carrier, Fujian, into active service in the southern province of Hainan, signaling another significant step in its push to modernize and expand its maritime power. The state-run Xinhua news agency confirmed the vessel’s commissioning, describing it as the nation’s most advanced carrier yet—and its first equipped with electromagnetic catapult technology for aircraft launches.

President Xi Jinping, who serves as China’s head of state, Communist Party leader, and chief of the Central Military Commission, personally inspected the 85,000-ton warship during a ceremony at the port of Sanya. Named after the eastern coastal province of Fujian, the carrier was launched in mid-2022 and is capable of deploying over 50 aircraft, making it the largest and most sophisticated ship in the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) so far.

A Rapidly Expanding Carrier Fleet

The Fujian joins two earlier Chinese carriers—Liaoning and Shandong—which laid the foundation for Beijing’s blue-water ambitions. Liaoning, a refurbished Soviet-era vessel, entered active duty in 2012 and became fully combat-ready four years later. The Shandong, China’s first indigenously constructed carrier, followed in 2019, marking a major milestone in domestic shipbuilding expertise.

These achievements are only part of China’s broader maritime expansion strategy. Work is reportedly underway on a fourth carrier, the next-generation Type-004, anticipated to be China’s first nuclear-powered supercarrier. Early reports indicate a displacement of around 110,000 tons and capacity for nearly 100 aircraft, rivaling the world’s most powerful naval vessels.

Within just ten years, China has built three aircraft carriers and aims to operate a 460-ship navy by 2030. By comparison, the United States maintains 11 active aircraft carriers—nearly a quarter of the global total—but remains ahead in technological sophistication and global reach.

India’s Two-Carrier Strategy and the Push for a Third

Across the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy operates two aircraft carriers: INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. Both employ STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) systems, unlike China’s advanced catapult launch design.

INS Vikramaditya, once the Soviet Admiral Gorshkov, joined the Indian fleet in 2013 after extensive refurbishment. The INS Vikrant, built entirely in India and commissioned in 2022, stands as a symbol of the country’s growing defense self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

However, naval strategists have repeatedly emphasized the urgency of adding a third carrier to maintain balance in the Indian Ocean region. The proposal for a new carrier, internally called Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 2 (IAC-2), is awaiting government approval. Given the long gestation period for such projects, even a swift clearance could mean more than a decade before a new vessel joins the fleet. By then, Vikramaditya, expected to serve until around 2035, may no longer be operational—potentially leaving India with just two active carriers against China’s expanding armada.

Fleet Growth: A Numbers Game

China’s navy now fields over 356 ships—including submarines, destroyers, and amphibious vessels—making it the world’s largest fleet by sheer numbers. Back in 2000, it counted just over 200. Two decades later, Beijing surpassed the U.S. Navy in size and continues to add new hulls at an unprecedented pace to meet its 2030 goal of 460 warships.

India, on the other hand, currently operates about 150 ships and submarines, supported by a fleet of 143 aircraft and 130 helicopters. The Indian Navy aims to expand its strength to around 200 vessels by 2035 and roughly 230 by 2037, aligning with its vision of achieving full indigenous production and self-sufficiency in defense.

As China’s shipyards work at full steam and India deliberates its next carrier project, the balance of naval power in the Indo-Pacific is entering a new chapter—one that could define maritime strategy and regional security for decades to come. The commissioning of Fujian is not just a milestone for Beijing—it’s a signal to the world that the contest for dominance on the high seas is far from over.