India’s third nuclear ballistic submarine set for induction: Why INS Aridhaman matters

INS Aridhaman is the second upgraded Arihant-class SSBN to enter service after INS Arighaat- Representative photo

• INS Aridhaman, India's third SSBN, to enter service by May 2024.
• Submarine features K-15 and K-4 missiles with 3,000 km+ range.
• Aridhaman boosts India's sea-based nuclear deterrent capability.

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India’s third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) INS Aridhaman set to enter service in April-May this year, according to a report by NDTV.

Aridhaman, which will be the Navy’s third Arihant-class submarine, will serve as an undetectable launch platform for missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

Fabricated by private sector giant L&T and built at the secretive Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam, the submarine has been on sea trials for months. Once commissioned, it will join its two sister submarines under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), India's tri-services nuclear deterrent command.

Key features

According to NDTV, Aridhaman is designed for stealth, endurance and deep-sea secrecy. It will be equipped with 750-km range K-15 missiles as well as an unspecified number of K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), which have a strike range exceeding 3,000 km.

Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) operate on the principle of concealment and surprise. Capable of remaining submerged for extended periods thanks to their onboard nuclear reactors, they avoid surfacing and revealing their positions. Moving slowly and silently in deep waters, their locations remain virtually undetectable — until they launch their missiles.

The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China are the only other countries that can deliver nuclear warheads from a submarine.

India’s first indigenous SSBN, the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, was commissioned around ten years ago and it successfully completed its first deterrence patrol in 2018.

INS Aridhaman is the second upgraded Arihant-class SSBN to enter service after INS Arighaat, commissioned in August 2024.

Why is Aridhaman special

With the induction of INS Aridhaman, India takes another step forward in strengthening its sea-based nuclear deterrent.

Aridhaman, like its predecessor INS Arighaat, incorporates advanced indigenous systems developed by Indian scientists, naval designers and domestic industry. Over the years, India has reduced reliance on external inputs in nuclear submarine construction, reflecting growing confidence in complex engineering, reactor miniaturisation, stealth design and weapons integration.

According to reports, the last two Arihant-class submarines are expected to be bigger and capable of launching longer range missiles. These SSBNs could be armed with K-4 SLBMs capable of striking targets up to 3,500 km away.

India already has the capability to carry out nuclear strikes with fighter planes and land-launched missiles.