INS Arighaat: A Game-Changer for India’s Nuclear Deterrence

Introduction

• The latest in this regard is the commissioning of the Indian Navy’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arighaat which is the second of the Arihant class. In this regard INS Arighaat is the latest addition to Indian Navy’s Second Strike Missile that reinforces the Indian nuclear posture and balances the risk posed by other nuclear states in the Indian Ocean theatre.

The Strategic Importance of INS Arighaat

• It gives strategic importance for INS Arighaat to be allocated with modern configured technical equipment and all sorts of communication instruments.
• India’s nuclear umbrella is a nuclear triad that exists as the combination of a nuclear capability from land, from air, and from sea.
• As India commissions INS Arighaat, it continues to make a big leap forward in making sure that the nuclear triad remains viable.
• This submarine together with the earlier stated nuclear strike systems augments the second-strike guarantee that is vital in matters to do with strategic deterrence.
• The commissioning of INS Arighaat could not have come at a better time than when regional threat has begun to emerge clearly in the Indo-Pacific region.
• A missile hidden in a nuclear-powered submarine such as Arighaat contributes greatly to a country’s retaliation capability and puts the potential attackers on notice.
• This stands in line with India’s No first use of nuclear weapon’s policy whereby the country vowed to use nuclear weapons for the purpose of self-defense and retaliation.

Meet INS Arighaat

• INS Arighaat, the 6,000-tonne displacement nuclear powered ballistic missile is an upgraded version of INS Arihant.
• K-15 missiles are the armament of the submarine, their range is more than 700 kilometers. This armament helps India guarantee a strategic balance of power way beyond its borders to Pakistani and other potential aggressors.
• Non-conventional among various furnished facilities of INS Arighaat is the Nuclear propulsion system.
• This new submarine comes equipped with an 83MW pressurized light-water reactor making it possible for the sub to stay underwater for long durations.
• This capability is a major point of difference from the conventional diesel-electric submarines which require the boat to surface to recharge the batteries and in the process exposes the boat to attacks.
• You greater time duration the submarine can float underwater, the better it makes Arighaat becoming a platform for performing strategic deterrent patrols.
• INS Arighaat is built with a lot of features than INS Arihant to make it more advanced. The indigenous content of the systems and equipment which have been developed, designed, manufactured, and integrated by the Indian scientists, industry and naval personnel have also been emphasised by the Ministry of Defence.
• They are proud of this achievement that is as an added step towards Make in India in defense technology.

Enhancing the Nuclear Triad

• Nuclear triad is an essential concept when it comes to the cage of a nation’s nuclear capability so that it can be seen as a credible force.
• The triad for India consists of ground based ballistic missiles, aircraft delivered nuclear weapons as well as ballistic missile submarines for launch, including the INS Arighaat. INS Arihant was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2016, thus allowing the country its first second-strike capability from the sea.
• On this aspect, INS Arighaat adds to the survivability of the second-strike capability which is already having another Akula class submarine, thus boosting the overall survivability of India’s nuclear forces.
• Strategic missiles, especially the nuclear ready ones, are another key part of Indian’s second-strike capability, from the land platforms, the Agni series missiles.
• The Agni 2, the Agni 4 as well as the Agni 5 missiles are equipped for nuclear strikes over different distances, to be able to counter threats from different areas. On the other hand, the Indian Air Force’s fighter aircraft or the ‘aerial capital’, is made up of Rafale, Su-30 MKI, and Mirage 2000.
• These aeroplanes can convert the Darfur conflict into a nuclear war escalation of deterrence by delivering nuclear warheads.
• The sea-based component which is highlighted by attack submarines such as INS Arighaat can be considered as the most vital component of the triad. Submarines provide cover and are an effective strike weapon if a would-be attacker needs to be fired back at, right from an attacker’s strike.
• This makes sure that any aggression, nuclear in this case, is minimized since the adversary is aware that India still possesses the standing to retaliate, decisively.

Technological Advancements and Indigenous Development

• INS Arighaat show a marked improvement in technology over the INS Arihant. Arighaat has been designed and manufactured with the help of modern design and manufacturing techniques, advanced research and development and specific materials.
• The fact that is portends to the fact that India is increasingly demonstrating its capability in submarine technology; it can hence design and build complex platforms such as the Scorpene on its own.
• The achievement of INS Arighaat is also an indication that the Indian Navy, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian defence industry must continue working jointly as they have in this success.
• Several industrial players, as well as the Ministry of Defence, were contributing to the project and prove the capability of Indian defense industry in producing state-of-art platforms.
• India started developing Nuclear submarines more than three decades ago and it has come quite a long way.
• That is why the launch of a first test submarine INS Arihant in 2009 and its subsequent commissioning in 2016 can be regarded as the first significant achievement in this direction. INS Arighaat further evolved on this premise drawing upon the experiences from Arihant and integration of new technologies to improve upon its performance.

The Future of India’s Submarine Fleet

• However, the Indian Navy is not stepping ahead with stopping the commissioning of INS Arighaat.
• There is also two more new generation nuclear ballistic submarines (SSBNs) with displacement of approximately of 7,000 tonnes are being built now.
• The first of these new SSBNs was said to have been launched in 2021 and is yet to be commissioned but is constantly being tested and trialled.
• The second matter is also under construction, though it is classified to be under a certain project.
• These upcoming submarines are going to minimise India’s strategic requirements by offering more powerful platforms with extended range and payload capability.
• Although presently these submarines form the third line of offense, they are important as they will eventually supplant older platforms and keep India’s nuclear guarantee potent in the years to come.
• Besides, the nuclear submarines, the Indian Navy has a conventional submarine force too. Some of the subs are Kilo class, Shishumar class and the French Scorpène class or the Kalvari class attack submersibles.
• These diesel-powered submarines form an important part of Indian maritime security apparatus, and enable the Navy to perform almost all of the tasks that might be required of it.
• With the commissioning of the INS Arighaat the Indian navy has reached a major benchmark towards the constitution of the submarines; it has moved India closer to the authorized number of submarines 18.
• Nonetheless, this strength could hardly be sustained as about one-third of the fleet is generally out for refit. This makes its further active construction and updating of the corresponding platforms even more important.

Conclusion

• INS Arighaat joining the Indian Navy is a turning point to the overall security profile of the country.
• Since the Indian SSBN forms part of India’s nuclear triad then it enhances the country’s nuclear posture in a way that guarantees a proper response to any threat that may arise.
• The tough development and commissioning of the INS Arighaat has also pointed out India’s enhanced possibilities in native defense technology and a policy of preserving a credible and efficient deterrent in a competitive world.

FAQS

Q1: What is INS Arighaat?
Ans: INS Arighaat is India’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) of the Arihant class. It significantly enhances India’s nuclear deterrence capabilities and strengthens its nuclear triad.

Q2: How does INS Arighaat contribute to India’s defense?
Ans: INS Arighaat bolsters India’s nuclear deterrence by providing a secure, second-strike capability from the sea. This ensures India’s ability to retaliate in the event of a nuclear attack, aligning with its “No First Use” policy.

Q3: What are the key features of INS Arighaat?
A3: INS Arighaat is equipped with K-15 missiles with a range of over 700 km and is powered by an 83 MW pressurized light-water reactor, allowing it to remain submerged and undetected for extended periods.

Q4: How is INS Arighaat different from its predecessor, INS Arihant?
Ans: INS Arighaat is more technologically advanced, incorporating new design and manufacturing technologies. It also features indigenously developed systems and equipment, making it more capable and resilient.