The Indian Navy is all set to commission its second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Arighat or S-3, in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. The SSBN will function under India’s strategic command to further strengthen its strategic deterrence capabilities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi are expected to be present, according to Defence Ministry sources. However, there is no official confirmation regarding the commissioning of the SSBN.
The commissioning of the 112-meter-long, 6,000-tonne INS Arighat will see it embark on a long-range patrol in the Indo-Pacific region armed with 750-km range nuclear ballistic missiles K-15. It will bring the total number of India’s SSBNs to two – INS Arihant (S-2) and INS Arighat – patrolling the high seas. INS Arihant became operational in 2018, strengthening the country’s ‘nuclear triad’, which allows for the firing of nukes from land, air, and sea. India’s third SSBN, INS Aridaman or S4, is scheduled to be commissioned next year, followed shortly after by a fourth SSBN, as per the sources.
The INS Arihant and INS Arighat are equipped with powerful 83 MW pressurized light-water reactors. Due to the miniature nuclear reactors fitted in their hulls, these submarines can stay submerged for extended periods for months, unlike conventional diesel-electric submarines, which need to surface or ‘snorkel’ every few days to replenish their batteries with oxygen. The new submarine is of similar size, length, and displacement as the INS Arihant but has the capacity to carry more K-15 missiles. According to a source, the new submarine boasts significantly enhanced capabilities, improved efficiency, and greater stealthiness.
The two SSBNs stationed in India hold a significant strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, acting as a deterrent to potential naval threats. Both submarines in the INS Arihant class are equipped with indigenous nuclear reactors and missiles. SSBNs are crucial for deterrence because they are difficult to detect and can evade a surprise first strike by an enemy in order to launch retaliatory strikes. Since India already possesses land-based nuclear missiles such as the Agni series and air-launched nuclear capability, the SSBN has become the most potent weapon in the nuclear triad.
Ravi Shankar
