Primary role of Indian Navy is sea lanes blocking with ships and Carrier providing air cover.
Secondary is anti-shipping where carrier air group takes lead at longer distances destroyers for lesser ranges.
Tertiary is Land attack with SLCM mostly followed by Carrier Borne aircraft if needed. ....Gwadar can easily be hit by SU-30MKI launched Brahmos.
Now coming to NLCA MK-1. Firstly what is being proposed here is a NLCA MK-1 squadron (thanks to its higher rate of availability already displayed wrt Mig-29Ks) can take over the role of fleet Air defense from Mig-29Ks. Freeing the latter to focus on Long range missions given its lower rate of availability. Mig-29KUBs can also provide refueling support to NLCA MK-1s when needed. Mind you, both are suboptimal solutions. Specially the Mig-29Ks whose replacement has been sought with TEDBF, when it is only 10 years into service. Says a lot.
Anyway adding a squardron on NLCA MK-1 will not only give Air Boss the ability to put more numbers in air in quicker timeframe. But also generate ops specific data for TEDBF program. Highly needed for quicker development.
There Is a lot to gain if Navy gets out of this 'no-single engine policy' for time being. BTW Indian Navy carriers have only seen single engine fighters before Mig-29Ks. Be it 1971 fame Alize & Sea Hawk or just retired Sea Harriers. French Navy has also flown single engine Super Etendards in past. And amazingly after decades of operating twin engine, the USN is shifting entirely to F-35Cs.
Single engine deck based jets may not be entirely a death. And when NCLA MK-1s will retire possibly to LIFT role once TEDBF starts joining in a decade. I feel there is lot gain for the amount of risk it brings for a being a single engine fighter.
A Pic to bring things into perspective. Expect more and better pics in coming days.