India Launches First Nuclear Submarine

On July 26th, the Prime Minister of India presided over the dawn of a new era for the Indian Navy, as he saw the nuclear-powered INS Arihant put to sea. The ceremony was specifically timed to coincide with the Kargil War Victory Day anniversary, and sent a strong statement of the progress made by India in its aspiration to have an ocean-going, blue water navy to be reckoned with. As the first of its class, the submarine will be undergoing sea trials for two years before being commissioned into service.

The submarine is a product of India's Advanced Technology Vessel Project. It is powered by an 85 megawatt pressurized water reactor. That type is standard for all nuclear-powered ships. The 6,000 ton vessel is believed to have submerged speeds of up to 24 knots, and to be armed with the normal torpedo tubes, as well as 12 ballistic missile tubes .

The ballistic missile tubes make the submarine not only a landmark technological achievement for the Navy, but also puts India within reach of completing its nuclear triad. The nuclear triad consists of bombers, land-based missiles (ICBMs mostly), and sub-launched missiles (SLBMs). The latter are considered the safest, as they would be the hardest to locate and destroy during a first strike. A fleet of nuclear ballistic missile submarines can guarantee that a country of the ability to deliver a retaliatory nuclear strike against an enemy, and such vessels are currently in use by the US, Russia, the UK, France, and China.

Unfortunately, as the submarine is limited to sea trials, and is not an attack submarine in any case, it does nothing to mitigate the concurrent delays in India's production of diesel-electric, French-designed Scorpene submarines. The only hoped-for bridge the Indian Navy has in replacing their aging patrol and attack submarine fleet, and keeping their conventional submarine punch up to strength, is that the Akula nuclear-powered attack submarine that they agreed to lease from Russia at the end of 2007 enters service on schedule.

This aspect of the submarine force is critical to the Indian Navy. While a successful ballistic missile submarine would help to guarantee India's strategic security, they are of little practical military use outside of either making or responding to a nuclear attack. That role belongs to the patrol and attack submarine classes.

Sources: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-India-India-set-to-launch-nuclear-powered-submarine/articleshow/4787167.cms; timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hyderabad/PM-launches-INS-Arihant-in-Visakhapatnam/articleshow/4820660.cms