India set to commission second nuclear missile submarine INS Arighat.

According to information published by The Economic Times on August 11, 2024, India is preparing to commission its second nuclear-powered submarine, the INS Arighat, which will be equipped with nuclear missiles.
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Artist rendering of the Indian submarine INS Arighat. (Picture source: Wikipedia)

The INS Arighat, built at the Vizag shipyard, is ready for commissioning after thorough trials and upgrades. It will likely be commissioned in the next month or two and will join the INS Arihant, which has been operational since 2018.

INS Arighat will be equipped with 750-km range K-15 missiles, similar to those on the INS Arihant, but with the capacity to carry more. The upcoming third SSBN, the INS Aridhaman, will carry 3,500-km range K-4 missiles and is scheduled for commissioning next year. Additionally, the fourth SSBN, is under construction and will be able to carry even more K-4 missiles. Plans also include building 13,500-tonne SSBNs with advanced 190 MW reactors.

Moreover, the project to build two nuclear-powered attack submarines, equipped with torpedoes, anti-ship, and land-attack missiles, is awaiting final approval from the PM-led Cabinet Committee on Security. Initially proposed as six 6,000-tonne "hunter-killer" submarines (SSNs) under Project-77, the plan has been scaled down to two vessels. These submarines are expected to be about 95% indigenous and will take at least a decade to complete, with further vessels to be considered later.

India aims to have 18 diesel-electric submarines, four SSBNs, and six SSNs to counter threats from China and Pakistan. Right now, India has one SSBN, the INS Arihant, which uses an 83 MW reactor, and 16 diesel-electric submarines. This fleet includes six old Russian Kilo-class, four German HDW, and six new French Scorpenes submarines.

n contrast, China has a fleet of around 60 submarines, including six Jin-class SSBNs armed with JL-3 missiles that have a range of 10,000 km, and six SSNs.