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.

 

[sanket]

Not a Bad Timeline 2036 -37 & second one within 2 years IN doing good IAF/IA should learn from this

 

[desigandu]

Wow! 12 years for the 1st SSN - really long…Bharat desperately needs them faster - what can be done!

 

[siva]

Not more than 5 years, that is ideal for country like India

 

[Rama Hota]

We need SSN by 2030

 

[lucky]

Need to collaborate with France or Russia and prepone the tìmeline

 

[Rational Guy]

Are those 2 going to be built simultaneously?

 

[Baiju Bhaskaran]

By 2026, the entire world political scenario might change and we might be staring at a world war. So we must start concentrating on producing more SSBN's and Scorpenes which is readily available with us. PSU and Private shipyards should be given the order's.

 

[Rational Guy]

Then that means S5 will be ready around 2034/2035.

 

[Vineet Sharma]

12 years for an SSN doesn't make sense unless you realize that it is the first time you are making them. The important thing is not to stop at 2 but to make a pipeline of 6-10 submarines with advancements every 2 or 3 so that time can be saved and design and prototype costs can be amortized.

 

[Anant]

Not more than 5 years, that is ideal for country like India

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.

 

[Anant]

Are those 2 going to be built simultaneously?

Simultaneously, not exactly. We should see one start construction a year or two before the other.

 

[Anant]

Then that means S5 will be ready around 2034/2035.

What are you basing that on? The S5-class will probably not be around till the second half of the next decade.

 

[vinod nair]

I am totally at a loss to understand why so much time. Remember, the Arihant class of subs were originally planned as SSN. Minister Chidambaram chided them to stretch and make it SSBN. Now they want 12 years or so to make an SSN again. Perfection is the path, not the end...

 

[sunilanalysis]

These are much better safe and lethal assets than the extra aircraft carriers navy is looking for...

 

[Rinku Pandey]

Good job Bharat. 2037 and 2039. India will join select group of countries with SSN capability in 15 years time.

 

[Man-ju]

These are much better safe and lethal assets than the extra aircraft carriers navy is looking for...

It's like comparing apples with bananas

 

[Man-ju]

Wait a minute, 15+ years of time? Did the Navy change its tonnage requirements? Because previously planned SSN were supposed to be about 6000 tonne displacement using the new 90+MW PWR that was to be used in S4 and S4*. Because by 2032 India aims to complete the next PWR with output of 180+ MW for our next S5 class SSBN's with 10000+ tonne displacement. If those PWR are used in SSN then our SSN will be bigger and powerful equivalent to Akula class subs.

 

[Sandeep]

While manufacturing the equipment and the construction won’t take such a long time the main problem is testing the technology, capabilities, speed, endurance, reliability, reactor, weapons etc and certifying it all. Also this is the first time that we are building a nuclear attack submarine and you have to be very careful as you don’t want it exploding near our city or wasting so much money on a blown submarine.

Most of that time will be spent on developing and installing the 190MW reactor and achieving full power which will be done slowly and in stages. Once we know that the design, engineering and technology work then it will be much easier to construct the next 4 submarines with upgrades each time.

 

[sunilanalysis]

It's like comparing apples with bananas

same public money has to invested in both... one mere hype other one more safe... it takes a bit of strategic thinking when someone thinks its apples and bananas...

 

[Anant]

I am totally at a loss to understand why so much time. Remember, the Arihant class of subs were originally planned as SSN. Minister Chidambaram chided them to stretch and make it SSBN. Now they want 12 years or so to make an SSN again. Perfection is the path, not the end...

Um, nope. The Arihant-class, while initially envisioned as SSNs, were redesigned as SSBNs after the 1998 nuclear tests. By this point, Chidambaram was only a Lok Sabha MP, and was no longer anything else beyond that. Essentially, when this change was made, Yash Yashwant Sinha was the Finance Minister, and George Fernandes was the Defence Minister.

Coming to the rest of your comment, the change from SSN to SSBN was not a simple case of "Cut the submarine into two and insert a SLBM module in the middle". The whole boat would have been redesigned.

Therefore, unless the original ATV design made it into the final phases (it quite probably didn't), and unless the final sketches of the SSN design were saved (which, if they did exist, would have been saved, but probably don't exist to begin with), then we could expect a faster construction process.

In any case, part of the time between now and 2035-37 would be used for construction and testing of the 190 MW naval reactor. It is speculated (truly, perhaps) that the 190 MW reactor hasn't yet commenced testing, so you'd have to factor in a few years for that as well.

 

[Anant]

same public money has to invested in both... one mere hype other one more safe... it takes a bit of strategic thinking when someone thinks its apples and bananas...

No, Man-ju ji is correct. A SSN is a strike asset, but is pretty bad for sustained force projection. A carrier, on the other hand, is an excellent asset for sustained force projection, and can function as a strike asset, but isn't optimised for the latter.

Yes, either can function both roles, but both are optimised for different things. As such, you need both.

 

[Anant]

Wow! 12 years for the 1st SSN - really long…Bharat desperately needs them faster - what can be done!

Sir, that isn't as easy as it sounds. Yes, in theory, we can replace the SLBM module on the Atihants with a SLCM VLS module. However, the SSNs are also planned to carry a far more powerful reactor (190 MW as opposed to the Arihant-class' 83 MW), so you'd quite possibly have a larger reactor, which then means you have to essentially redesign most of the submarine.

Moreover, it is (probably correctly) speculated that the 190 MW reactor isn't cleared for shipborne use yet, so you need some time to test those out too.

 

[Anant]

Wait a minute, 15+ years of time? Did the Navy change its tonnage requirements? Because previously planned SSN were supposed to be about 6000 tonne displacement using the new 90+MW PWR that was to be used in S4 and S4*. Because by 2032 India aims to complete the next PWR with output of 180+ MW for our next S5 class SSBN's with 10000+ tonne displacement. If those PWR are used in SSN then our SSN will be bigger and powerful equivalent to Akula class subs.

The P-77s have been planned to be fitted with the 190 MW reactor (the same as that planned for the S5-class) for a fair while now. That said, these SSNs would be something between 6,000 and 10,000 tons in displacement, with the main question being the number and type of VLS cells for SLCMs (if any).

 

[Anant]

Good job Bharat. 2037 and 2039. India will join select group of countries with SSN capability in 15 years time.

True... Then again, by that point, the SSN club will consist of the US, UK, France, Russia, China, Brazil, and maybe Australia (depends on if they get Block IV Virginias as planned or if the US decides to offload the four Block I Virginias on them instead). That'd make India the seventh or eighth permanent entrant, if you discount the fact that we were part of that club between 1988 and 1991 and betwen 2012 and 2021 (as the sixth member) thanks to INS Chakra I and INS Chakra II respectively.

 

[beencensured]

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.

 

[Anant]

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.