INS Arihant
In order to strengthen its maritime security and thereby competing with its neighbour China, India plans to induct INS Arihant, an indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine. It weighs 6,000 tonne and is built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.
With the launch of INS Arihant, India will enter the elite club of US, Russia, China, France and the UK who have similar capabilities.
Navy chief Admiral Nirmal recently said that `Indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant will be soon launched for sea trials as part of efforts towards completing India`s nuclear triad and achieve a credible and invulnerable retaliatory strike capability`.
Apart from this, the Indian Navy has also inducted a Russian-origin nuclear submarine, INS Chakra, into its fleet, giving its underwater combat capabilities much-needed muscle.
Shruti Saxena