India on Friday, 3 April, commissioned INS Aridhaman, its third indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), into the Indian Navy, marking a significant milestone in the country’s strategic defence capabilities.
The commissioning ceremony was reportedly kept under wraps. However, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted a cryptic message on X, saying “It’s not words but power, ‘Aridhaman’!”.
INS Aridhaman is part of the Arihant-class submarines developed under India’s Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme and follows earlier inductions of INS Arihant (2016) and INS Arighaat (2024).
With this induction, India now operates three nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, enabling the possibility of maintaining continuous at-sea deterrence through rotational deployment.
The submarine is estimated to have a displacement of around 7,000 tonnes and is powered by an indigenous pressurised water reactor developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, reflecting advancements in domestic nuclear propulsion technology.
In terms of capability, INS Aridhaman is designed with improved stealth features and a higher missile-carrying capacity, with up to eight vertical launch tubes capable of deploying long-range K-4 or K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
Strategically, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines form the most survivable leg of a country’s nuclear triad, allowing assured second-strike capability.
The induction of INS Aridhaman strengthens India’s sea-based nuclear deterrence.
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