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A Boost to India’s Naval Firepower: Second Ballistic Missile Submarine Launched
India has achieved another milestone in its quest for the indigenous nuclear submarine project with the launch of the Arighat, its second ballistic missile submarine.
The construction of six nuclear-powered attack submarines was approved by the Indian Government in 2015, forming the strategic part of India’s ‘no first use’ policy for nuclear weapons. The submarines are a guarantee of ‘assured retaliation’ or second strike capability, preventing any surprise first strike by a nuclear-armed adversary.
India’s submarine fleet is based on the east coast of Visakhapatnam and on the west coast of Mumbai, with the nuclear-powered submarine program managed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Department of Atomic Energy and Indian Navy. The Submersible Ship Nuclear (SSN) and Submersible Ship Ballistic Missile Nuclear (SSBN) are powered by nuclear reactors, with the former designed for short-range assailant attacks and intelligence missions, and the latter for carrying long-distance missiles.
The Arihant-class, named after India's first nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant, is defined as a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine for the Indian Navy. The S2 and S3 submarines are operational, while the S4 remains highly classified.
India is pursuing the prospect of leasing another SSN from Russia to phase out its conventional submarines, with the INS Chakra-III expected to be delivered by 2025.
The nuclear-powered submarines have the advantage of being able to remain submerged indefinitely, while conventional diesel-electric submarines can only stay for a limited period.