Commissioning of INS Arighaat; India’s Second Home made Nuclear Submarine
Adding Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Triad
Gandhinagar, Yesterday India got its second, make in India initiative, nuclear submarine with the commissioning of INS Arighaat by Defence Minister. Mr. Rajnath Singh at Visakhapatnam. This adds to India’s strategic deterrence in Indian Ocean and adds to the Nuclear Triad capability of our defence forces. A very proud moment for India.
The end of the cold war in 1991 saw a relatively exposed geopolitical environment for India. The key security challenges came from Pakistan in form of terror attack, border skirmisher issues and the dynamics of nuclear escalation. This led to focus of Army and Air Force. The situation in 21st century changed for India where it started taking interest in holistic development of its all three defence forces including development in missile and nuclear Technology. Maritime security and Indian Navy role in Indian Ocean and South China Sea has gained importance leading to modernization of naval fleet.
The operational deployment of Naval ships for anti-piracy operations in Western Arabian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, deployment in South China sea, protecting sea lanes of communication and routine engagements in friendly Naval Exercises has led to a greater focus of modernization of Indian Naval and add to the nuclear deterrence triad capability.
India gave its Nuclear Doctrine in 2003 where it announced a policy of no first use of Nuclear weapons but assured retaliation with nuclear weapon in case of Nuclear attack on India. For this it needed to maintain a credible nuclear deterrence and capability to fire nuclear weapons through a triad of Land, Sea and Air.
India plans to commission its third nuclear powered submarine INS Aridhaman in another six months for which sea trials are in progress. It plans to induct its second Air Craft carriers likely to be named INS Vishal by 2030 latest. The missile launch capability with induction of INS Arighaat which can fire K4 missile with strike range of about 3000 Kms has considerably improved from earlier version of only 750 Kms. The strike range and the capability adds on to triad capability which existed for Land based systems through Agni 3 firing up to 3000 Kms and Agni 5 over 5000 Kms. For Airpower, this this can be delivered by our fighter aircrafts like Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and Rafael.
India has a 7517 Kms of Coast line and maritime interest over complete Indian Ocean and South China Sea. Indian Navy is a very professional arm and it is taking part in many sea exercises. Recently Indian Navy took part in Malabar Exercise with QUAD partners of Japan, Australia and USA which was of very strategic importance. The sea phase of the exercise involved complex and high intensity exercises in all three domains of naval warfara i.e. anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine exercise. With the growing role of Navy and India’s international clout, the modernization of our Blue Waters Navy is very important and commissioning of INS Arighaat is a step in right direction.
- Colonel Dr Rakesh Kumar Shrivastawa Registrar, PDEU.
