India’s sea-based nuclear deterrent is expected to be strengthened soon as the country is likely to commission its third indigenous Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridhaman (designated S4) by April and May.
India’s sea-based nuclear deterrent is expected to be strengthened soon as the country is likely to commission its third indigenous Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN),
INS Aridhaman (designated S4) by April and May. “The commissioning of INS Aridhaman is expected by this summer as the submarine is currently in the final stages of sea trial,” a source close to the matter told The Times of India.
In December last year, Navy chief Admiral
D K Tripathi said that INS Aridhaman would be commissioned this year. The vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam, and will be larger (7,000 tonne) than predecessors INS Arihant and INS Arighaat (6,000 tonne), featuring enhanced capability to carry long-range K-4 missiles.
It is pertinent to note that INS Aridhaman will be armed with 24 K-15 Sagarika SLBMs (750 km range) and eight K-4 SLBMs (3,500 km range), which are capable of reaching most parts of Asia. Once it enters service, India would have three operational ballistic missile submarines under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) at sea for the first time.
The wider aim
The commissioning would move India closer to achieving ‘Continuous At-Sea Deterrence’, a strategic defence policy where a nation maintains at least one SSBN on patrol 365 days a year. Apart from this, INS Aridhaman boosts India’s “second-strike” capability—the ability to retaliate after a nuclear attack.
The vessel is designed to carry more long-range nuclear-tipped missiles than its predecessors, INS Arihant and INS Arighaat. Additionally, the Indian Navy is securing an Akula-class SSN nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia, which is commonly called Chakra III. This is expected to be delivered by 2027 or early 2028.
Besides these submarine projects, India and Germany are also in the final stages of negotiating an $8-10 billion Project-75(I) deal to build six advanced, conventional diesel-electric submarines equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology.
It is pertinent to note that the new submarine acquisitions are timely as Pakistan is acquiring eight advanced Hangor-class diesel-electric attack submarines from China under a $5 billion 2015 deal to bolster its naval capabilities, TOI reported.
With inputs from agencies.
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