India Launches Fourth Nuclear-Powered Missile Submarine

New Delhi: Amid ongoing diplomatic tensions with Canada, India has discreetly launched its fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) this week at the Ship Building Center (SBC) in Visakhapatnam. The move aims to bolster the country’s nuclear deterrence capabilities against its adversaries.

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India Progress on Nuclear Submarines and Future Naval Expansion

India’s second SSBN, INS Arighaat, was commissioned by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on August 29, 2024, while the third SSBN, INS Aridhaman, is set to be commissioned next year. Additionally, on October 9, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the Indian Navy’s plans to construct two nuclear-powered attack submarines to strengthen deterrence against adversaries in the Indo-Pacific region.

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India’s Strategic Advancements with the Launch of Fourth SSBN S4*

Although the Modi government remains discreet about its nuclear deterrence strategies, India launched its fourth SSBN, codenamed S4, on October 16, just a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a Very Low Frequency Naval Station in Telangana’s Damagundam forest. This station enhances command, control, and communication with the Indian Navy’s strategic assets. The S4 submarine boasts nearly 75% indigenous content and is armed with 3,500 km-range K-4 nuclear ballistic missiles, fired through vertical launch systems. Unlike INS Arihant, which carries 750 km-range K-15 missiles, its successors. Including the newly launched SSBN, are equipped solely with K-4 missiles. These submarines possess virtually unlimited range and endurance, limited only by crew fatigue, food supplies, and maintenance needs. INS Arihant and INS Arighaat are already on deep-sea patrols. And India is set to bolster its capabilities further with a leased Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine. Expected to join the fleet in 2028.

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India’s SSBN Naming Tradition and Future Submarine Class Plans

India’s first leased nuclear attack submarine, INS Chakra, was designated as S1, followed by INS Arihant as S2, INS Arighaat as S3, and INS Aridhaman as S4. The newly launched SSBN, currently codenamed S4*. Is the final vessel in this class, with its official name yet to be announced. The next generation of Indian SSBNs will be significantly larger, with double the 6,000-ton displacement of the Arihant class. And will be equipped to carry nuclear missiles with ranges exceeding 5,000 kilometers.

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