India's First Indigenous SSN Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine Expected by 2036, Confirms Navy Chief

Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi recently confirmed that the government has approved the indigenous development of two nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), demonstrating faith in India's capacity to design and manufacture complex defence platforms.

Admiral Tripathi stated that the first SSN is expected to be delivered by 2036, with a second submarine following within two years. He added that the navy has a requirement for six such submarines. This ambitious project is expected to galvanize the defence ecosystem and contribute to the growth of ancillary industries.

India already operates nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) under the Arihant class. The new nuclear attack submarines will be stealthier and armed with conventional weapons, placing India in a select group of nations with this capability.

Unlike conventionally-powered submarines, nuclear attack submarines can stay submerged indefinitely, providing a unique capability for guarding areas of interest and deterring enemy movement. India has previously leased nuclear attack submarines from Russia.

Sources indicate that unlike the Arihant class, the new attack submarines will be fully designed in India without foreign assistance. All necessary technologies, including a miniaturized nuclear reactor, are reportedly available domestically, minimizing the need for foreign equipment.

The Navy Chief also shared updates on other submarine modernization programs. The acquisition of six new Air Independent Propulsion (AIP)-equipped submarines is underway, with commercial proposals yet to be opened. Plans to acquire three additional Kalvari class submarines are in the final stages, with a contract expected to be signed with Mazagaon Dockyard Limited within two months.

The indigenous SSNs will significantly enhance the Indian Navy's strategic deterrence capability, complementing the existing Arihant-class SSBNs. They will also improve India's tactical flexibility, offering greater reach and advanced surveillance capabilities in the region. This development underscores India's commitment to strengthening its naval power and its position as a leading maritime force.

 

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And that kind of timeline will happen once we have experience building SSNs. We don't have that as of now, which means longer timelines.

If you think twelve years to build a sub, then you are mentally off, corrupt, regressive. At least try to see some foreign examples; they take five years max to build a nuclear Virginia class, China probably less time. India's two SSNs got funding, as they have already designed it. But being cynical is another thing. For India, making a submarine is not a new venture.

China is building two submarines a year, the USA two submarines a year, and so on. China is improving each year, so we cannot wait 12 years for a submarine. India must use all resources and make it a national importance, use modular design to make sections and cut time. China has planned for more submarines. India needs two submarines a year after 2030.

 

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If you think twelve years to build a sub, then you are mentally off, corrupt, regressive. At least try to see some foreign examples; they take five years max to build a nuclear Virginia class, China probably less time. India's two SSNs got funding, as they have already designed it. But being cynical is another thing. For India, making a submarine is not a new venture.

China is building two submarines a year, the USA two submarines a year, and so on. China is improving each year, so we cannot wait 12 years for a submarine. India must use all resources and make it a national importance, use modular design to make sections and cut time. China has planned for more submarines. India needs two submarines a year after 2030.

If you are going to compare the US or China, maybe also see just how many submarines, both nuclear and otherwise, they have built in the past? Experience matters a lot in this, and experience is something we lack.

The recent Virginia-class in the US have taken about eight years from ordering to commissioning, or about a decade from authorisation to commissioning. China's Type 093 boats have taken anything between 8 and 14 years from authorisation to commissioning. We are budgeting 11 years from authorisation to commissioning, which is perfectly decent.

You want a better example? Let's look at the UK, France, and Russia. The French Suffren-class are taking between 13-14 years each, the Brits are taking between 9 and 12 years for each boat, and the Russians are taking anything between 8 and 21 years (the latter due to stoppage of work in the post-Soviet era) to complete the Yasen-class.

Oh, and all five of those nations have built considerable numbers of nuclear and non-nuclear submarines. Just for nuclear boats, you have the USSR / Russia leading with 89 SSNs, 71 SSGNs, and 99 SSBNs (for a total of 259), followed by the US with 156 SSNs, 5 SSGNs, 55 SSBNs, and 1 SSRN (for a total of 217), the UK with 25 SSNs and 8 SSBNs (for a total of 33), France with 9 SSNs and 10 SSBNs (for a total of 19), and China with 10 SSNs and 7 SSBNs (for a total of 17). India has built a grand total of 2 completed SSBNs to date.

You seriously want to compare a nation building 2 boats with one building over 200? You really think that is even remotely fair?

Have you bothered, even for a second, to ponder why these boats may be taking so long to build? You haven't, so here goes: It is speculated that the 190 MW reactor to be used on these boats is still in testing or the pre-testing phase, which means you need to get the tests done before you install a reactor on a submarine, which is prior to the submarines launch.

Next, you say building a submarine for India is not a new venture. Let me stop you right there; It very much is. Our entire track record of submarine construction sums up to 2 indigenously-built SSBNs and 8 license-built SSKs. That's 10 in total. Each of those aforementioned nations has built hundreds, or even thousands in a case or two, submarines over the last century and a bit. That level of industrial expertise shows.

Now, China very much isn't building 2 nuclear boats a year. Yes, if you sum up SSKs as well, that number goes up to about 2.8, but we will also be building SSKs. The US wants to build 2 SSNs a year, but the actual number is about 1.77.

Building a nuclear submarine is no joke. You need a large and very highly-trained workforce, a lot of infrastructure, proven subcomponents, and massive orders to get a large production line going. In India's case, we don't have that level of workforce in terms of expertise, our infrastructure is limited (although excellent by all indications), unproven subcomponents (refer to the above comment on the reactor and the fact that the VLS and pumpjet systems quite possibly are still in development), and we most definitely do not have a large number of orders.

You want 2 nuclear boats a year? Sure, order 40 of them in one go, and wait 20-25 years. By the end of that, you'll have 2 boats a year. Oh, and keep large follow-on orders ready.