Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi announced that India will soon induct its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridhaman. The submarine is in the final phase of trials. It is also close to official commissioning.
INS Aridhaman is India’s third indigenously built nuclear-powered platform. Once it joins the fleet, India will have three operational SSBNs at sea for the first time. This step will significantly strengthen India’s strategic maritime power.
INS Arighaat Strengthened Deterrence In August
The development follows the formal commissioning of INS Arighaat. The Navy inducted it into the Strategic Forces Command in Visakhapatnam in August.
With INS Arihant and INS Arighaat already in service, India’s sea-based nuclear deterrent has become much stronger. INS Aridhaman will now expand this capability even further.
Larger Size, More Missiles, Bigger Reach
INS Aridhaman has a larger design than the first two submarines. It can carry more long-range, nuclear-tipped missiles than INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.
This larger configuration increases both strike range and survivability at sea. These features play a key role in India’s nuclear doctrine.
At the same time, a fourth SSBN is also under construction. It will add more strength to India’s deterrent force. According to an earlier Times of India report, both upcoming submarines are designed to carry more K-4 missiles because of their larger size.
Navy Chief Highlights Three Major Initiatives
Admiral Tripathi also highlighted some important initiatives taken by the Navy over the past year.
He said, “I also want to highlight three maiden initiatives in the last year… Indian Ocean Ship Sagar was a maiden initiative by the Navy wherein INS Sunayna IOS SAGAR was flagged off on the 5th of April from Karwar by our defence minister and embarked 44 crews from nine IOR nations’ navies and Coast Guard and stayed for over a month, visiting five ports and drew great appreciation from all the participating countries as also whenever she made a port call. All that is there in the open domain,”.
This initiative strengthened ties with countries in the Indian Ocean Region and showcased India’s maritime cooperation.
He also spoke about the second initiative, saying, “The second initiative we did was Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement, which also means unity in Sanskrit. where we partnered with 9 African countries and assembled in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Our defence minister was present there along with the defence minister of Tanzania, and we had great camaraderie and an exchange of best practices among 9 African countries,”.
This event strengthened relations with African nations and promoted cooperation and shared learning.
Four Rafale Jets Expected By 2029
The Navy also expects a major boost in air power. Admiral Tripathi said the first batch of four Rafale fighter jets will arrive by 2029.
He added that Project 75 India, which involves the purchase of six advanced submarines, has made strong progress. He said a formal agreement is likely to be signed soon.
This will modernise and expand the Navy’s underwater fleet.
Operation Sindoor Kept Pakistan On The Defensive
Admiral Tripathi discussed Operation Sindoor and its impact on Pakistan’s navy.
He said, “The aggressive posturing and immediate action during Op Sindoor, of deployment of the carrier battle group forced the Pakistan Navy to remain close to their ports or near the Makran coast,”.
He made it clear that India’s firm and rapid deployment created a strong deterrent effect. As a result, Pakistan’s naval vessels stayed close to their own coastline.
India’s Maritime Power Continues To Grow
From nuclear submarines to new aircraft and stronger international partnerships, the Navy is steadily increasing its power and reach. With INS Aridhaman nearing induction and a fourth SSBN on the way, India’s sea-based nuclear strength is entering a new phase.