As a mature and responsible maritime power, India has a clear self-interest in what happens in her geo-strategic maritime areas of interest. Consequently, the maritime security of India and its environs are central to the functioning of the Indian Navy.

Epic sea battles between aircraft carriers have not recurred after World War II; in the post-war period, most carriers began to retire without even having participated in a battle. Many countries that possessed carriers or were aspiring to get them thus began to re-assess the military-strategic utility of such platforms in the radically altered global geo-strategic environment.