Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday commissioned two major aircraft Additions to the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam: indigenous nuclear-powered submarine INS Aridhaman, and stealth frigate INS Taragiri.
INS Arihaman: Everything you need to know
- INS Aridhaman is India’s third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project in Visakhapatnam.
- It is part of the Arihant class, following INS Arihant (commissioned in 2016) and INS Arighaat (August 2024).
- Aridhaman is an upgraded version of its predecessors, with greater submarine-launched ballistic missile capability. Technical specifications remain confidential.
- The submarine strengthens India’s nuclear triad – the ability to deliver nuclear weapons from land, air and sea. The naval station is considered the most survivable, supporting India’s second-strike capability under its no-first-use nuclear policy.
Before the concert, Rajnath Singh posted on X: “It is not just a word, ‘Aridhaman’ is power!” The name literally translates from Sanskrit as “destroyer of enemies.”
INS Taragiri: We are ready for missiles, as well as for relief efforts
- INS Taragiri is the fourth frigate of the Indian Navy’s Project 17A class, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
- It weighs 6,670 tons and carries more than 75 percent of local content, and more than 200 micro, small and medium companies are participating in its construction.
- The ship features a reduced radar cross-section for stealth operations. It is armed with surface-to-surface supersonic missiles Missiles, along with medium-range surface-to-air missiles, and an anti-submarine warfare group.
- It is also configured for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions.
Industrially, the ship has a local content of over 75%, with more than 200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) contributing to its construction, news agency ANI reported.
The Indian Navy has highlighted this as a direct manifestation of government policy Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self Reliant India) Initiative.
A testing and research facility is scheduled to be built
Rajnath Singh also laid the foundation stone for a large bore tunnel at the Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL). This tunnel is used to test marine equipment and ship models by simulating underwater environments. It is also used for research into torpedo systems, propeller design, and hydrodynamics of underwater vehicles.
“The research being done here on torpedo systems, underwater mines, decoys, autonomous underwater vehicles – all this is pushing India forward in the direction of making it a strong naval power,” the minister said while addressing the gathering.
He also pointed to India’s progress in lithium-ion battery technology for submarines: “Earlier, we depended on others for these things. Today, we design and develop ourselves and work with small and large industries to develop them.”
