Context:
• China has formally commissioned its 3rd aircraft carrier – ‘Fujian’ — at Hainan on 12 Nov 2025, attended by President Xi Jinping.
• Marks major leap in PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) blue-water projection capability.
Key Highlights:
- Military Modernisation Context
• Part of Xi’s plan → modernised PLA by 2035 & “world-class force” by mid-century.
• Strategic objective → dominate First Island Chain (Japan–Taiwan–Philippines) & contest Second Island Chain (Guam & U.S. presence). - Timeline & Evolution of Chinese Carriers
• 1st – Liaoning → ex-Soviet.
• 2nd – Shandong → Chinese-built but Soviet-derived template.
• 3rd – Fujian → first fully designed & built in China. - Tech Leap – EMALS
• Fujian uses Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) – like U.S. Ford-class.
• Advantages:
– lower stress on aircraft
– more precise launch control
– wider type of aircraft launches possible (AWACS, heavy drones)
• Older Chinese carriers use ski-jump ramps; U.S. use steam/EMALS.
• China’s carriers = conventionally powered; U.S. carriers = nuclear powered (near-indefinite range). - Numerical Context
• China – 3 carriers vs USA – 11 carriers.
Relevant Prelims Points:
• Fujian = 3rd Chinese carrier, first indigenous design + EMALS.
• First Island Chain = Japan–Taiwan–Philippines arc.
• U.S. Ford-class carriers = EMALS benchmark.
• PLAN = world’s largest navy by hull count.
Relevant Mains Points:
• Enhances China’s A2/AD posture in Indo-Pacific.
• Raises strategic pressure on Taiwan & ASEAN littorals.
• Impacts India’s maritime strategy → need to accelerate IAC-2 debate + Andaman Nicobar command strengthening.
Way Forward:
– strengthen Quad maritime domain awareness
– anti-access/denial capabilities in Bay of Bengal
– dispersed forward basing + unmanned ISR platforms
– India’s own EMALS/CTOL debate must conclude
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
• GS2 – India-China, Indo-Pacific geopolitics
• GS3 – Defence technology, naval modernisation