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India’s nuclear triad is set for a major boost, with the country’s third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridhaman, now in the final phase of trials and approaching commissioning.
Once inducted, India will, for the first time, operate three ballistic missile submarines at sea, significantly strengthening the nation’s sea-based nuclear deterrent.
The development follows the induction of INS Arighaat earlier this year, adding depth and persistence to India’s underwater nuclear force.
Navy Chief Confirms Imminent Induction and Growing Deterrent
Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, speaking at a press briefing ahead of the Navy Day, confirmed that INS Aridhaman’s commissioning is “very soon,” noting that the submarine has entered the final stage of its evaluations.
Aridhaman, built on a larger hull than INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, will be capable of carrying more long-range nuclear missiles, expanding India’s second-strike capability. A fourth SSBN is also under construction, indicating a steady pipeline of strategic assets.
Operation Sindoor: Assertive Naval Posture That Contained Pakistan
Tripathi also addressed the Navy’s sustained operations under Operation Sindoor, launched after the April Pahalgam terror attack.
While many details remain classified, in response to queries, he confirmed that the Navy’s carrier battle group was deployed aggressively in the northern Arabian Sea.
According to him, this posture kept Pakistan Navy units restricted to their ports or the Makran coast, preventing any escalation at sea. The prolonged deployment also imposed economic strain on Pakistan as commercial vessels began avoiding its waters. “The cost of insurance for the vessels travelling to Pakistan had also increased,” he said.
The Navy Chief highlighted the service’s operational intensity: 50,000 flying hours, 11,000 ship days, 138 ship deployments, and the rescue of 520 lives at sea over the past year.
Rafale Marine: Delivery Timeline, Contract and Capabilities
The Navy chief confirmed that the Indian Navy will receive its first four Rafale Marine fighter jets out of 26 ordered by 2029, establishing the timeline for the induction of the new carrier-borne fleet.
As reported previously:
- Intergovernmental Agreement: India and France signed the deal for 26 Rafale Marine jets in April.
- Approximate Cost: The package is valued at around Rs 64,000 crore.
- Included in the Package: weapons systems, spares, support equipment, maintenance, and associated infrastructure.
Intended Deployment: The jets will operate from INS Vikrant, enhancing its strike range and air defence envelope.
The chief also noted that this acquisition is part of a broader effort to strengthen carrier aviation and ensure that the Navy’s air wing can meet evolving maritime-security demands.
Since last Navy Day, the Navy has inducted one submarine and 12 warships, including INS Udaygiri, the 100th warship built in India.
Red Sea Security and Anti-Piracy Operations
Amid rising threats from non-state actors, the Navy has expanded its role across critical global sea lanes:
- In the Red Sea:
- Forty capital ships have been deployed to ensure safe transit for cargo valued at nearly USD 5.6 billion.
- In the Gulf of Aden:
- India has maintained an unbroken anti-piracy deployment since 2008, with 138 warships escorting over 7,800 merchant vessels.
Strategic Diplomacy: Indian Ocean Initiatives and Africa Engagement
The Navy Chief outlined several important outreach initiatives:
Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR
The Navy chief also spoke about key initiatives launched by the Indian Navy.
“I also want to highlight three maiden initiatives in the last year… Indian Ocean Ship Sagar was a maiden initiative by the Navy wherein INS Sunayna IOS SAGAR was flagged off on the 5th of April from Karwar by our defence minister and embarked 44 crews from nine IOR nations’ navies and Coast Guard and stayed for over a month, visiting five ports and drew great appreciation from all the participating countries as also whenever she made a port call. All that is there in the open domain,” Tripathi said.
Africa–India Key Maritime Engagement
Held in Dar es Salaam, this initiative brought together nine African nations for operational exchanges and capability-building. “Our defence minister was present there along with the defence minister of Tanzania, and we had great camaraderie and an exchange of best practices among 9 African countries,” he added.
Expanded Exercises
Over the last year, the Navy conducted 21 bilateral, nine multilateral, and 34 maritime partnership exercises, underscoring India’s expanding Indo-Pacific engagement.
A Navy Shaping a New Maritime Balance
With INS Aridhaman set for induction and another SSBN under construction, India is significantly reinforcing its sea-based nuclear deterrent.
Huma Siddiqui
