India's nuclear deterrent has got a big boost with the country's third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) INS Aridhaman set to enter service in April-May this year.
The submarine, fabricated by private sector giant L&T and built at the secretive Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam, has been on sea trials for months, and once commissioned will join its two sister submarines under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), India's tri-services nuclear deterrent command.
Built to be stealthy, slow moving and more secretive at depth than conventionally powered attack submarines, the INS Aridhaman will sport the 750-km range K-15 and an unspecified number of K-4 long-range submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), which have a range in excess of 3,000 km.
SSBNs operate on the principle of secrecy and surprise. Lurking silently at depths, their nuclear reactors giving them near limitless endurance to stay underwater rather than reveal their positions by surfacing, the positions of these submarines remain virtually unknown until they launch their missiles.
If an SSBN ever has to launch its nuclear weapons, the existing dynamics of war completely shift to the nuclear domain.
India's first SSBN INS Arihant was commissioned in 2016, followed by the improved INS Arighaat in 2024. A fourth submarine of similar size, designated S4 will also join service in the years ahead, followed by India's 'true boomer', the yet unnamed S5, which will displace up to 14,000 tonnes, double of the current boats.
India is part of a tiny group of nations that builds and sails these complex underwater nuclear weapons platforms. The others are the US, Russia, France, the UK and China.
