Context: India’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arighaat, was commissioned into service at Visakhapatnam. It joins the first such submarine, INS Arihant, which was commissioned in 2016.
About INS Arighaat
- INS Arighaat is an advanced nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) of the Indian Navy.
- Class: INS Arighaat is part of the Arihant-class submarines, which are indigenously designed and developed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project.
- Displacement: It measures 111.6 metres in length and has a submerged displacement of approximately 6,000 tons.
- Propulsion: The submarine is powered by a 83-MW pressurised light-water reactor with enriched uranium. This enables it to operate quietly and remain submerged for extended periods, unlike conventional diesel-electric submarines that need to surface regularly.
- Armament: INS Arighaat is equipped with ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. It is armed with a 750-km-range K-15 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), while a 3,500-km-range SLBM K-4 is under development, having been tested for the first time in 2020.
- Stealth Features: The submarine has advanced stealth features like noise-reducing coatings and advanced propulsion system, making it harder to detect by enemy submarines and ships.
INS Arihant:
- INS Arihant was commissioned into service in August 2016. It has a displacement of 6,000 tonnes and is powered by an 83-MW pressurised light-water reactor with enriched uranium.
- INS Arihant is armed with a 750-km-range K-15 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), while a 3,500-km-range SLBM K-4 is under development, having been tested for the first time in 2020.
The K4 will become the mainstay of India’s undersea nuclear deterrence, as it gives the stand-off capability to launch nuclear weapons while submerged in Indian waters.
Significance:
- INS Arighaat enhances India's nuclear triad, which includes the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land, air, and sea.
- The submarine's ability to launch ballistic missiles from underwater provides India with a secure second-strike capability, a crucial component of its nuclear deterrence strategy.
- With India’s no-first use nuclear policy, SSBNs (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Nuclear Submarines) play a key role in deterrence due to their difficulty in detection and their ability to survive a surprise attack and execute retaliatory strikes.
The presence of both INS Arihant and INS Arighaat will strengthen India’s nuclear triad, enhance nuclear deterrence, strengthen maritime defence and establish strategic balance.
Main classes of submarines in service with the Indian Navy:
- Sindhughosh-class: Variant of the Russian Kilo-class submarines. E.g., INS Sindhurakshak, INS Sindhuvir, INS Sindhuratna.
- Shishumar-class: Based on the German Type 209 design, these are diesel-electric submarines equipped with advanced systems. E.g., INS Shishumar, INS Shankush, INS Shalki, and INS Shankul.
- Kalvari-class (Scorpène-class): Based on the Scorpène design developed by Naval Group (France). E.g., INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela, INS Vagir, and INS Vagsheer (yet to be commissioned).
- Arihant-class: India's indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). These submarines are equipped with nuclear propulsion and are capable of carrying ballistic missiles. Currently, INS Arihant is the operational submarine of this class. The second submarine INS Arighaat has been recently commissioned in August 2024. A third submarine is at an advanced stage of construction, which is set to be larger and more capable than the current two.
- Chakra-class: Nuclear-powered attack submarines leased from Russia. Currently, INS Chakra-II, the submarine of this class, is in service with the Indian Navy. Chakra-III is expected to be delivered to the Indian Navy by 2025.
Key Facts:
- Countries like the US, Russia, and China have larger SSBNs with longer-range missiles. For example, China has six Jin-class SSBNs with JL-3 missiles capable of 10,000 kilometres, and the US operates 14 Ohio-class SSBNs.
- A project costing around Rs 40,000 crore is under consideration by the PM-led Cabinet Committee on Security for the construction of two 6000-tonne ‘hunter-killer’ SSNs (nuclear-powered attack submarines), armed with torpedoes, anti-ship, and land-attack missiles. The construction is expected to take at least a decade.
On conventional submarine development, the Indian Navy has acquired six new Kalvari-class submarines and plans to add 15 more through Project 75 India, Project-76, and Project-75 AS.