INS Arighat commissioned: Know all about Indian Navy's 2nd nuclear-powered submarine (WATCH)
INS Arighat, India's second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was commissioned by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday.
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FollowDefence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday commissioned the second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) “Arighat” in Visakhapatnam, a move will significantly enhance India's naval prowess, particularly concerning its strategic nuclear deterrence.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, head of Indian strategic command Vice Admiral Suraj Berry, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and leading DRDO officials were present for the commissioning.
In his address, the Defence Minister exuded confidence that ‘Arighaat’ will further strengthen India’s nuclear triad, enhance nuclear deterrence, help in establishing strategic balance and peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country.
He described it as an achievement for the nation and a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s unwavering resolve to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.
Recalling former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s political will which put India at par with a nuclear weapon state, the Rajnath Singh said, “Today, India is surging ahead to become a developed country. It is essential for us to develop rapidly in every field, including defence, especially in today's geopolitical scenario. Along with economic prosperity, we need a strong military. Our government is working on mission mode to ensure that our soldiers possess top-quality weapons and platforms made on Indian soil” .
All you need to know about INS Arighaat
The construction of INS Arighaat involved the use of advanced design and manufacturing technology, detailed research and development, utilisation of special materials, complex engineering and highly skilled workmanship. It has the distinction of having the indigenous systems and equipment which were conceptualised, designed, manufactured and integrated by the Indian scientists, industry and Naval personnel, government press release stated.
The technological advancements undertaken indigenously on this submarine make it significantly more advanced than its predecessor Arihant. The presence of both INS Arihant and INS Arighaat will enhance India’s capability to deter potential adversaries and safeguard its national interests.
Arighat is the first-of-class INS Arihant which was launched in July 2009. It was commissioned in August 2016. The third one was launched in November 2021 but has not been named yet. Built at Visakhapatnam-based Ship Building Centre (SBC), the Arighat has a length of 111.6 m, beam of 11 m, draught of 9.5 m, and a displacement of 6,000 tonnes.
The submarine has a top speed of 24 kt, and a surfaced speed of 10 kt. Like INS Arihant, the Arighat is also having four launch tubes in its hump and can carry up to four nuclear-capable K-4 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) with a range of 3,500 kilometers.
Developed by DRDO, the K-4 SLBMs is variant of land-based ballistic missile Agni – III. It can also be equipped with 12 K-15 SLBMs. The K-15 is the variant of Shaurya and has a range of 750 to 1,500 km, depending on the size of the warhead.
The construction, commissioning, testing and status of the nuclear submarines are directly under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) or the Strategic Nuclear Command (SNC), which is under the control of the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office).
