Amid the ongoing border standoff with China, India is planning to commission its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) in six months to further bolster its sea-based leg of the nuclear weapons triad, the Times Of India reported on Friday.
The report comes a day after the formal induction of the second such boat into the Strategic Forces Command as INS Arighaat at Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
The third SSBN is currently undergoing trials ahead of her commissioning as INS Aridhaman early next year, the report said. The third SSBN is slightly bigger than the first two, INS Arihant & INS Arighaat, and capable of carrying more long range nuclear-tipped missiles.
Citing sources in the know, the TOI report says that INS Arighaat is also capable of carrying some K-4 missiles, which have a strike range of over 3,000-km, unlike her forerunner INS Arihant that is armed only with the 750-km range K-15 missiles.
Crucial for credible strategic deterrence amid the continuing confrontation with China, SSBNs are capable of staying submerged for months and thus act as the most secure, survivable and stealthy platforms for second-strike capabilities. These submarines also act as a deterrence for adversaries planning a surprise first strike.
The second Arihant-Class submarine ‘INS Arighaat’ was commissioned into the Indian Navy on August 29, 2024 at Visakhapatnam in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
In his address, Singh exuded confidence that ‘Arighaat’ will further strengthen India’s nuclear triad, enhance nuclear deterrence, help in establishing strategic balance and peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country.
The minister also recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s “political will” that put India on a par with nuclear weapon states by conducting the Pokhran-II tests in 1998.
“Today, India is surging ahead to become a developed country. It is essential for us to develop rapidly in every field, including defence, especially in today's geopolitical scenario. Along with economic prosperity, we need a strong military. Our government is working on mission mode to ensure that our soldiers possess top-quality weapons and platforms made on Indian soil” he said.
INS Aridhaman and the fourth under-construction SSBN will be even more potent. With a 7,000-tonne displacement and 125 metres long, they will be able to carry larger number of K-4 missiles.
The four submarines, built under the classified advanced technology vessel project launched in 1990s at a cost of over Rs 90,000 crore, are still less than half the size of SSBNs of the US, China and Russia.
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