Eye on China: India mulls commissioning new nuclear submarine base in Andhra Pradesh

This will be a crucial year for the Indian Navy as INS Aridhaman, the third nuclear-powered submarine with nucleartipped ballistic missiles, is likely to be commissioned soon.

Soon, India will have a new nuclear submarine base in Andhra Pradesh, a Times of India report said on Monday. The development gains importance amid growing naval forays by China in the Indian Ocean region.

As per the TOI report, the naval base is situated in coastal village named Rambilli, which is roughly 50 km south of Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command headquarters located in Visakhapatnam. The report also adds that the strategic naval base will have a critical functionality that will enable the nuclear submarines into Bay of Bengal without getting detected by the satellites.

The report further stated that the first phase of Rambilli naval base is nearly completed. The base, which is part of Project Varsha, may see other phases of expansion in due course of time. Citing a defence source, the TOI report said that the inner harbor of Rambilli base is totally ready.

This will be a crucial year for the Indian Navy as INS Aridhaman, the third nuclear-powered submarine with nucleartipped ballistic missiles, is likely to be commissioned soon. INS Aridhaman will bolster India's nuclear triad.

In a separate development, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had inaugurated additional facilities worth over Rs 2,000 crore under Project Seabird at the Karwar naval base on Saturday.