The Indian Navy is poised to enhance its strategic maritime capabilities with the commissioning of its second Arihant-class ballistic missile submarine, INS Arighat, scheduled for tomorrow, 29 August. This significant addition to the Navy’s fleet will be commemorated in a ceremony attended by top military and national security officials.
INS Arighat is the second of the Arihant-class submarines, following the INS Arihant, which was commissioned in August 2016. These submarines are powered by an 83 MWe nuclear reactor developed indigenously with consultancy from Russia, marking a significant achievement in India’s naval propulsion technology.
The Arihant-class submarines are categorized as SSBNs (Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear), designed primarily for strategic deterrence. INS Arighat is equipped to carry four long-range K-4 ballistic missiles with a strike range of 3,500 kilometers or 12 shorter-range K-15 missiles with a strike range of 750 kilometers, each capable of carrying strategic nuclear warheads.
Unlike SSN nuclear attack submarines, which are used for more aggressive roles such as hunting enemy submarines and ships, SSBNs like INS Arighat are dedicated to deterrence patrols, maintaining a crucial component of India’s nuclear triad for national security.
The commissioning of INS Arighat is part of India’s broader strategy to strengthen its naval presence with a total of five Arihant-class SSBNs and six SSNs planned over the next three decades. The next submarine in the Arihant class, expected to be named INS Aridhaman, is already in anticipation.
In addition to its nuclear capabilities, the Indian Navy operates 15 conventional diesel-electric submarines and is in the process of expanding this fleet with the induction of three more Kalvari-class submarines and negotiations for six more Project-75I class submarines, alongside the development of the indigenous Project-76 class boats.
This expansion underscores the Indian Navy’s commitment to bolstering its underwater combat capabilities and enhancing its deterrence power on the global stage.
