The Indian Navy on Friday commissioned its newest nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the INS Aridhaman, in a closely-guarded ceremony in Visakhapatnam, where it was built under a top-secret program to enhance the maritime portion of the country’s nuclear triad – the ability to launch strategic weapons from land, air and sea, senior officials familiar with the matter said.
It entered service on a day when Defense Minister Rajnath Singh stressed that a strong naval force was an “absolute necessity”.
Hours before the Indian Navy entered the domestically manufactured Ariddhaman submarine, Singh made a rare acknowledgment of the steady expansion of India’s deployed nuclear forces. It is the country’s third Arihant-class submarine and will serve as an undetectable launch pad to deliver nuclear warheads thousands of kilometers away.
“Shabd nahi shakti hai, ‘Aridaman’ (Aridaman is not a word but a symbol of power),” he wrote on the X. (Also written as Aridhaman)
The commissioning ceremony, the second of the day, was held in Singh’s presence, said the officials, who requested anonymity. The Defense Minister earlier chaired the commissioning ceremony of the stealth frigate INS Taragiri, which will enhance the Navy’s ability to secure the country’s interests in the vast Indian Ocean region where China is trying to consolidate its control.
“Building a strong and capable navy is not just an option, it is an absolute necessity of our time,” Singh said while commissioning Taragiri the ship, lauding the Indian Navy’s round-the-clock deployment in the IOR region amid rising global uncertainty.
“Whenever tensions flare, the Indian Navy steps in to ensure the security of merchant ships and oil tankers. It not only protects India’s national interests, but is also prepared to take every measure necessary to protect our citizens and trade routes across the world. It is this capability that firmly establishes India as a responsible and formidable maritime power.”
Officials said India’s fourth SSBN, codenamed S-4*, is likely to enter service in 2027. SSBN stands for nuclear or nuclear-powered submersible ballistic missile submarine. The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China are the only other countries that can launch nuclear warheads from a submarine.
India’s first indigenous SSBN, the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, was commissioned about 10 years ago and successfully completed its first deterrence patrol in 2018, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi then declaring that the submarine’s success “gives a befitting reply to those who indulge in nuclear blackmail”.
The fully operational submarine then completed the sea phase of the Indian nuclear triad. Arihant is armed with B-05 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) capable of delivering nuclear warheads 750 km away. The Navy commissioned its second indigenous SSBN, INS Arighaat, in Visakhapatnam in August 2024. The Aridaman is larger than the two previously inducted SSBNs and can launch long-range missiles. It is armed with K-4 SLBM missiles capable of hitting targets up to a distance of up to 3,500 km. These SSBNs will remain on constant deterrence patrols and will be able to launch nuclear missiles when the signal goes out of New Delhi.
India already has the ability to carry out nuclear strikes with fighter jets and ground-launched missiles. The Agni series of ballistic missiles and warplanes such as the Rafale, Sukhoi 30 and the French-origin Mirage 2000 can carry nuclear warheads. India’s nuclear doctrine, announced in 2003, commits the country to the “no first use” principle, with weapons only being used in retaliation for any nuclear attack on Indian territory or forces. It further states that nuclear retaliation for the first strike would be massive and aimed at inflicting unimaginable damage.
India has more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, but Beijing’s strategic arsenal is larger than New Delhi’s, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a yearbook released last June. It pegged the number of nuclear warheads in the Indian arsenal at 180 as of January 2025, compared to 600 for China and 170 for Pakistan.
INS Taragiri is the fourth stealth frigate to be commissioned into the Navy under INS Taragiri $45,000 crore seven-ship 17A project; The rest will be inducted by the end of the year. Nilgiri, Udaygiri and Himgiri were commissioned last year and Mahendragiri, Dunagiri and Vindhyagiri will follow Taragiri in the navy this year.
Showcasing the country’s prowess in warship building, the P-17A platforms contain 75% indigenous content and come equipped with state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and systems for naval battlefield control. The P-17A is a follow-up to the Shivalik-class stealth frigates (P-17) and represents a significant upgrade over the previous warships.
“INS Taragiri is capable of high-speed transit and can remain deployed at sea for long periods. It is equipped with systems designed to monitor enemy movements, ensure its security and, if necessary, provide an immediate response,” Singh said.
The P-17A frigates will be equipped with modern weapons, sensors and systems, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, the MF-STAR surveillance radar, and the Barak-8 surface-to-air missile system. The warships have a displacement of 6,670 tons, are 149 meters long, can reach a maximum speed of 28 knots and carry 225 personnel. The new platforms will enhance the Navy’s operational capabilities and combat readiness in the IOR, a strategic maritime space where challenges include China’s carefully calculated power play for influence and defense of the rules-based international order.
“We must not limit ourselves to protecting our coasts; we must also ensure the security of vital sea lanes, choke points, and digital infrastructure that are closely linked to our national interests. Whenever India builds and deploys advanced ships like INS Taragiri, it will serve as an assurance of peace and prosperity for the entire region,” Singh said.
Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said the frigate entered service at a time when the global security environment is rapidly evolving, driven by changing geopolitics, technology and tactics. Tripathi added: “The tensions in West Asia clearly show how these factors cumulatively affect the maritime domain. Any interruption at sea is no longer local; it directly impacts global energy security and maritime trade. In addition, increasing interference incidents in GPS and satellite services pose new challenges that require continuous surveillance, sustained presence, and modern combat capabilities.”
