Commander Sumit Ghosh
Lucknow: INS Arighat, India’s second indigenous 6000 tonne, 112m long, nuclear powered submarine equipped with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles was proudly commissioned into the Navy on 29th Aug 2024 at the Ship Building Center in Visakhapatnam (AP). The Arighat submarine is an upgraded version of INS Arihant and represents a major step forward in India’s naval capabilities, greater reach, second strike capability and strategic nuclear deterrence.
Defence Minsiter Rajnath Singh said in the commissioning ceremony that Arighat would further strengthen India’s three-tier retaliatory nuclear deterrent capability, enhancing maritime strike alongside its existing land- and aerial-based capacity to deliver strategic weapons.
INS Arighat is armed with K-15 ballistic missiles, having a range of 750 kms, adding significant strength to the Indian Navy’s arsenal. The submarine has been under construction and testing since its launch in 2017. The 83MW nuclear reactor can power the submarine to 15 knots on surface and up to 24 knots submerged. She can carry about 10 to 12 K-15 nuclear-tipped submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and is equipped with four vertical launch tubes for launching the missiles.
The nuclear-powered submarines act as a big deterrent to hostile nations, keeping India’s ‘no first-use policy’ in which our SSBNs (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Nuclear Submarines) play a key role due to their invisibility and their ability to survive a surprise attack and execute retaliatory strikes. The anticipated expansion in deterrence capabilities will further be bolstered with the forthcoming commissioning of the third SSBN, INS Aridhaman in 2025. This slightly larger, 7,000-tonne vessel will be armed with K-4 SLBMs with a striking range of 3,500 km. The Aridhaman will be followed by another advanced SSBN, the codenamed S-4, and another unnamed fifth SSBN to be armed with the 5,000-km range K-5 submarine-launched ballistic missile.
Since, N-powered submarines are stealthy and run deep and silent, they need not surface or snorkel for oxygen to recharge their batteries thus providing a credible hidden strike power. The real impetus for India’s expansion of its second-strike capability is, in fact, the significant growth of the Pakistani and Chinese navies in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
On the other side, while Pakistan is set to acquire eight Chinese Type 039B Yuan-class submarines (first of the class launched in April 2024), the China’s PLA Navy (PLAN) is focussing on two new classes of nuclear submarines (Type 95 attack submarine & the Type 96 nuclear ballistic missile submarine). Worryingly, the power asymmetry between India and China remains stark — with the PLAN fast expanding its fleet to over 60 submarines, including six SSBNs, six SSNs, and 48 diesel-electric submarines — while Pakistan continues to narrow the sea-power differential with India.
In order to gain greater straregic advantage, India plans to build additional nuclear submarines, along with conventional vessels, under its long-term capability development strategy in order to enhance its reaching IOR and much deeper into the Asian landmass. This could include five Arihant-class and six nuclear attack submarines, which may be constructed in phases.
A 40,000-crore project is also under consideration with the Cabinet Committee on Security for building two 6,000-tonne ‘hunter-killer’ nuclear-powered attack submarines, which will be armed with torpedoes and land-attack and anti-ship missiles.
There are a number of ways to enhance strategic deterrence, including:
Modernizing nuclear doctrines– China has been modernizing its nuclear triad to strengthen its deterrence and India should also reconsider it’s No First Use doctrine.
Developing theater missile defenses- Defenses against weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) are becoming more important, and include counterforce, post-boost intercept, terminal intercept, and passive measures.
Using ballistic missile submarines– The SSBNs provide a second-strike capability, which shall always remain a key part of national strategic deterrence.
Extended deterrence– The term Extended deterrence means protection of allies’ homelands, as well as one’s own, from attack and Imdia has an active strategy towards this.
The overall goal of strategic deterrence is to influence nations so that they don’t attack India or its interests around the world and INS ARIGHAT will proudly serve this goal by enhancing India’s capability to deter potential adversaries and safeguard its national interests.
About Author: Commander Sumit Ghosh is a former Indian Navy Submarine Officer. He has served on Kilo Class Submarines, Commanded INS Sindhurakshak and is a specialist in Anti-Submarine Warfare and a deep sea diver. He writes actively on strategic issues pertaining to defence and related technologies. He is an active member of the USI and Strategic Think Tank STRIVE. He can be reached at sumit12in@gmail.com.
