- China’s Fujian – Beijing’s newest carrier sailed through the Taiwan Strait for the first time, marking a key stage in trials and sending a strategic signal to Taipei, Washington, and Tokyo.
- Technology and capability – With electromagnetic catapults and an 80,000-ton displacement, the Fujian brings China closer to U.S. standards and could enable three carrier strike groups in the western Pacific.
- India’s response – New Delhi’s TPCR 2025 prioritizes naval power with plans for a new carrier, nuclear propulsion, and extensive drone integration, aiming to become the third major naval actor in the Indo-Pacific.
The launch of China’s most advanced aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait has sharpened focus on the accelerating maritime competition in Asia. On September 12, 2025, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) confirmed that the Fujian—its third and most sophisticated carrier—transited the contested waterway en route to the South China Sea for trials and training.
The passage was the Fujian’s first through these sensitive waters. Japanese surveillance aircraft recorded the transit, showing the carrier escorted by two destroyers and an empty flight deck, signaling a pre-operational stage. Yet the symbolism was unmistakable. Beijing considers the Strait internal waters, while Taiwan, the U.S. and allies insist it is an international route. PLAN spokesperson Leng Guowei framed the activity as “routine,” but analysts in Taipei and Washington view it as a deliberate reminder of China’s growing ability to project power.
Technically, the Fujian represents a leap for the PLAN. Launched in 2022 at Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard, it displaces more than 80,000 tons and measures 316 meters. Unlike the ski-jump systems of China’s earlier carriers, the Fujian employs electromagnetic catapults similar to those used by the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford. This allows heavier take-offs with fewer operators per cycle, extending the range and payload of embarked aircraft. The ship is designed to host more than 40 fixed-wing aircraft and a dozen helicopters, including stealth J-35 fighters, airborne early-warning KJ-600s, and electronic warfare platforms.
Chinese state media describe current trials as the “final stretch” before commissioning, expected later this year. If successful, the PLAN would be able to field three carrier strike groups in the western Pacific—reshaping the balance with the U.S. Navy and its allies.
For India, the Fujian’s debut underscores a strategic imperative. New Delhi has long aspired to develop a credible blue-water navy, yet resources and priorities have often tilted toward the Army and Air Force. That is changing. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence released its Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR) 2025, a 15-year modernization plan that places unusual weight on maritime power.
The roadmap envisions a new carrier to complement the INS Vikramaditya and the domestically built INS Vikrant. Often referred to as INS Vishal, the project would likely exceed 65,000 tons and could adopt electromagnetic catapults and nuclear propulsion—technology India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) aims to indigenize alongside arresting gear, optical landing systems, and combat software. The nuclear option, significantly, is not confined to carriers: the TPCR suggests at least ten surface ships could be nuclear-powered in the coming years.
India’s aviation plans reflect similar ambition. Alongside the French Rafale-M already on order, the Navy is working on a navalized Tejas fighter for training and a next-generation Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter. The roadmap also foresees extensive use of unmanned systems: more than 120 reconnaissance drones, 30 combat UAVs, and over 150 shipborne platforms tailored for naval operations.
Surface and subsurface modernization rounds out the picture: new destroyers, corvettes, mine countermeasure vessels, and four 29,000-ton landing platform docks for amphibious and expeditionary missions. Project 76, India’s next conventional submarine program, highlights lithium-ion batteries and electric propulsion, while 20 autonomous underwater vehicles are planned for anti-submarine and mine-clearance roles.
The symbolism of timing is clear. China demonstrates its ambition to rival the U.S. in the Pacific with the Fujian; India answers with a roadmap to establish itself as the third pole in the Indo-Pacific’s maritime contest. If New Delhi can translate its plans into deployed capabilities, the naval competition will no longer be exclusively Sino-American. A credible Indian fleet, with carriers, nuclear-powered combatants, and integrated unmanned systems, could emerge as the decisive factor in the regional balance.
