NEW DELHI: India’s sea-based nuclear deterrent will soon be strengthened as the country’s third domestically built Aridhaman-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) INS Aridhaman (designated S4) is likely to be commissioned in April-May. “INS Aridhaman is expected to be commissioned this summer as the submarine is currently in the final stages of sea trials,” a defense source told TOI.In December last year, Admiral DK Tripathi said that INS Alidaman would be commissioned this year.INS Aridhaman, built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Visakhapatnam Shipbuilding Centre, will be larger (7,000 tons) than its predecessors INS Arihant and INS Arighaat (6,000 tons) with an enhanced capability to carry long-range K-4 missiles. INS Aridhaman will be equipped with 24 K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missiles (range 750 km) and eight K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (range 3,500 km), capable of reaching most parts of Asia.Once commissioned, India will have three operational ballistic missile submarines at sea for the first time under the jurisdiction of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), bringing the country closer to achieving “continuous maritime deterrence”, a strategic defense policy in which a country keeps at least one ballistic missile submarine on patrol 365 days a year.As a stealth underwater platform, INS Alidaman enhances India’s “second strike” capability, which is the ability to retaliate after a nuclear attack. It is designed to carry more long-range nuclear-tipped missiles than its predecessors INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.In addition to INS Alidaman, the Indian Navy has also purchased an Akula-class SSN nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia, commonly known as Chakra III, which is expected to be delivered in 2027 or early 2028. Apart from these submarine projects, India and Germany are in the final stages of negotiations for the $8-10 billion Project-75(I) agreement to build six advanced conventional diesel-electric submarines equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology.Pakistan is purchasing eight advanced Hangor-class diesel-electric attack submarines from China under a 2015 deal worth $5 billion to enhance its naval capabilities. This purchase of new submarines is very timely.Equipped with an 83 MW pressurized water reactor and an advanced sonar suite, INS Aridhaman has indigenous USHUS and Panchendriya sonar systems for better target detection and improved acoustic damping using anechoic tiles to reduce noise and make it harder to detect. Once commissioned, it will be located at the Varsha Project, a high-security facility with underground fencing near Visakhapatnam.
