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The Indian Navy is preparing to significantly enhance its strategic capabilities with the planned induction of INS Aridhaman, the nation's third nuclear-powered submarine capable of launching ballistic missiles (SSBN), expected later this year.
As an improved version within the Arihant-class series, following INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, INS Aridhaman is set to strengthen India's sea-based nuclear deterrent power. This addition is a vital element of India's overall strategic defence framework, especially given the current security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region.
Featuring advanced systems, greater missile loadout, and a higher proportion of domestically sourced components, INS Aridhaman represents a major step forward in securing India's national interests.
The Arihant-class submarines are the result of India's secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, marking the country's successful indigenous development of nuclear-powered submarines carrying ballistic missiles.
The first submarine in this class, INS Arihant, entered service in August 2016. This achievement made India the first nation outside the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to build its own SSBN. Following extensive sea trials, the second vessel, INS Arighaat, was commissioned on August 29, 2024, further bolstering India's underwater nuclear deterrence capabilities.
INS Aridhaman, also known by its codename S4, is the third submarine in this strategic series and is anticipated to join the Indian Navy's fleet by the end of 2025. Launched in November 2021, the submarine has since undergone comprehensive sea trials to validate its propulsion systems, weaponry, and stealth features.
The primary role of the Arihant-class submarines is to provide India with a credible second-strike capability. This ensures that India can retaliate effectively even if subjected to a nuclear first strike, which is fundamental to the country's declared policy of 'no-first-use' regarding nuclear weapons.
Compared to its predecessors, INS Aridhaman incorporates several key improvements. Notably, it possesses a larger displacement, estimated to be over 7,000 tonnes, which is roughly 1,000 tonnes heavier than INS Arihant and INS Arighaat. This increase accommodates a 10-meter extension in the submarine's hull length, allowing for a bigger missile compartment and extended operational range and duration.
A significant upgrade lies in its armament capacity. While INS Arihant and INS Arighaat feature four vertical launch tubes capable of carrying either twelve K-15 Sagarika missiles (with a 750 km range) or four K-4 missiles (with a 3,500 km range), INS Aridhaman is equipped with eight launch tubes. This doubles its missile-carrying potential, allowing it to hold up to twenty-four K-15 missiles or eight K-4 missiles.
The extended range of the K-4 missile is particularly crucial, enabling the submarine to target deep inland locations from the relative safety of Indian waters, thereby strengthening deterrence against regional adversaries.
Propulsion for INS Aridhaman comes from an upgraded 83 MW Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR), developed domestically by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). This advanced reactor is more efficient and operates more quietly than the reactor used in INS Arihant, enhancing the submarine's stealth and making it more difficult for enemy anti-submarine warfare units to detect.
INS Aridhaman can achieve underwater speeds of up to 24 knots (approximately 44 km/h) and surface speeds of 12-15 knots (22-28 km/h). Its nuclear power source grants it nearly limitless underwater endurance, restricted mainly by the crew's requirements for food and supplies.
Furthermore, INS Aridhaman showcases India's progress in self-reliant defence manufacturing, with approximately 70% of its components being indigenously sourced – a higher percentage compared to the earlier submarines in its class. Key Indian companies such as Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Tata Power, and Walchandnagar Industries have played significant roles in its construction and systems integration.
This commitment to domestic production reduces reliance on foreign suppliers and strengthens India's own defence industrial capabilities, aligning with the government's "Atma Nirbhar Bharat" (Self-reliant India) initiative.
