India commissions INS Arighaat, sharpens nuclear deterrence
The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China are the only other countries that can deliver nuclear warheads from a submarine
New Delhi: India on Thursday commissioned its second indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arighaat, at Visakhapatnam, with defence minister Rajnath Singh asserting that it “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.”
Arighaat or S-3, is the second Arihant-class submarine and more advanced than INS Arihant (S-2).
“The presence of both INS Arihant and INS Arighaat will enhance India’s capability to deter potential adversaries and safeguard its national interests,” the defence ministry said in a statement. The ministry did not release pictures of the new submarine.
The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China are the only other countries that can deliver nuclear warheads from a submarine.
Singh described the Arighaat’s commissioning as an “achievement for the nation and a testament to the government’s unwavering resolve to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in defence.” The commissioning ceremony was attended by top officials, including chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan, navy chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Samir V Kamat.
The construction of INS Arighaat involved the use of advanced design and manufacturing technology, detailed research and development, utilisation of special materials, complex engineering and highly skilled workmanship, the defence ministry said.
“It has the distinction of having indigenous systems and equipment that were conceptualised, designed, manufactured and integrated by the Indian scientists, industry and naval personnel. The technological advancements undertaken indigenously on this submarine make it significantly more advanced than INS Arihant,” the statement added.
India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, successfully completed its first deterrence patrol in 2018, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi then triumphantly announcing that the success of the submarine “gives a fitting response to those who indulge in nuclear blackmail.”
The fully operational submarine then completed the sea leg of India’s nuclear triad (or the ability to launch strategic weapons from land, air and sea), giving it enduring nuclear strike and counterstrike capabilities. INS Arihant was commissioned into the navy eight years ago.
INS Arighaat is now set to embark on a long-range deterrence patrol. Both INS Arihant and INS Arighaat will stay on continuous deterrence patrols and when the signal goes out from New Delhi, the platforms will be capable of launching nuclear missiles.
Singh commended the navy, Defence Research & Development Organisation and the industry for their hard work and synergy. Recalling former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s political will that put India in the league of nuclear weapon states, Singh said, “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.”
Just like INS Arihant, the new submarine is armed with 12 B-05 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) capable of delivering nuclear warheads up to 750 km away.
India needs to deploy more such SSBNs (ship submersible ballistic nuclear) to reinforce its strategic deterrence force at sea.
The country’s third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, Aridaman, or S-4, is also set to be commissioned next year, followed by a fourth SSBN codenamed S-4*, as reported by Hindustan Times on Thursday.
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.
In October 2022, in a rare announcement concerning a strategic platform, the government said that the navy successfully test fired an SLBM in the Bay of Bengal from INS Arihant and demonstrated India’s nuclear deterrence capability.
“The missile was tested to a predetermined range and impacted the target area in the Bay of Bengal with very high accuracy. All operational and technological parameters of the weapon system have been validated,” the defence ministry then said in a statement.
The successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN programme, a key element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability, it said. “A robust, survivable and assured retaliatory capability is in keeping with India’s policy to have ‘Credible Minimum Deterrence’ that underpins its ‘No First Use’ commitment,” the ministry then said.
India already has the capability to carry out nuclear strikes with fighter planes and land-launched missiles. The Agni series of ballistic missiles and warplanes, such as Rafales, Sukhoi-30s, and French-origin Mirage-2000s, can deliver nuclear warheads.
“It is critical to have SLBMs that have a range of 3,000 km to 4,000 km. The current range is not good enough. But yes, it is a deterrent. It’s a message to our adversaries, ‘don’t even think about launching a pre-emptive nuclear strike against India because we are fully ready to hit you back instantly’,” former navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash had earlier told HT.