India's first indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and the cornerstone of India's sea-based nuclear deterrent — making India only the sixth nation (after the US, Russia, UK, France, China) to design, build, and operate SSBNs. The Arihant class displaces approximately 6,000 tonnes submerged with a length of 111 metres. Powered by an 83 MW pressurised water reactor (PWR) developed with Russian assistance but manufactured in India, driving a single shaft for submerged speed exceeding 24 knots and effectively unlimited endurance. Armed with 4 vertical launch tubes for 12x K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missiles (750 km range) or 4x K-4 missiles (3,500 km range). Also equipped with 533mm torpedo tubes. The submarine ensures that India maintains a secure second-strike nuclear capability even if land-based forces are neutralised in a first strike. INS Arihant was commissioned in 2016 and reportedly completed its first deterrent patrol in 2018, establishing India's nuclear triad.
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- Completes India nuclear triad with credible sea-based second-strike capability
- Indigenous nuclear submarine construction — major strategic milestone
- Survivable deterrent inherently protected by ocean depth
- Small missile complement (4 launch tubes)
- Noisy compared to US/Russian SSBNs
- K-4 SLBM with 3,500 km range still in testing phase
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Range and payload figures here are impressive but the basing requirements limit operational flexibility considerably.