NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday said its first home-built nuclear submarine was set for sea trials, as it detailed billion-dollar projects to arm its navy with warships, aircraft and modern weaponry.
The indigenous 6,000-ton INS Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies) was unveiled in 2009 as part of a project to construct five such vessels which would be armed with nuclear-tipped missiles and torpedoes.
"Arihant is steadily progressing towards operationalisation, and we hope to commence sea trials in the coming months," Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told reporters.
"Our maritime and nuclear doctrine will then be aligned to ensure that our nuclear insurance comes from the sea," Verma said.
Arihant is powered by an 85-megawatt nuclear reactor and can reach 44 kilometres an hour (24 knots), according to defence officials. It will carry a 95-member crew.
The Indian Navy inducted a Russian-leased nuclear submarine into service in April 2012, joining China, France, the United States, Britain and Russia in the elite club of countries with nuclear-powered vessels.
Verma said 43 warships were currently under construction at local shipyards while the first of six Franco-Spanish Scorpene submarines under contract would join the Indian navy in 2015 and the sixth by 2018.
The admiral said the navy was also poised to induct eight Boeing long-range maritime reconnaissance P-8I aircraft next year.
Correction: A previous image posted with this article was of another Indian submarine, and was for general display purposes. The correct image for INS Arihant has now been included.
COMMENTS (67)
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@1984: Sadly people like @Ali tanoli are 21st century Muslims, hence the state of Islam today ! Need one say any more ? They have lost all sense of reality or ability to deal with their day to day crises in a fashion to resolve, rather than awaiting for divine intervention ! Even Allah is not smiling at them or their deeds and this lot simply can not see it !
@Ali tanoli
Only people like you would love a one-eighth muslim called Aurangzeb who killed his brothers,imprisoned his own father and spread rumors of an alleged incest relationship of his sister...
@Reddy: "...godless nation might send lamb stew to the land of pure" Lamb stew is perfectly alright in the Land of the Pure. It is the pig that doesn't go down the gullet! But Chinese eat anything that moves. They can supply whatever you may wish, even dogs and cats! @Hedgefunder: " Pakistan simply can not afford to comp[ete due to their economic wows ! " I think you meant "woes", not "wows". Pakistan has not seen or felt any economic "wows" for a long time now, ages really!
@Kafeel
and shamelessly called them as indigineous.
Indigenous? As in Nodong and Silkworm missiles? Or as in Orion and F-16 aircraft?
@Akshay:
All Pakistan can do is beg, What else can they do ?
Pakistan would be finished the day US Aid stops.
@kafeel: total blunder. Admiral Gorshkov is an aircraft carrier, which is undergoing modification to as INS Vikramaditya for India. Arihant is a nuclear submarine, made in India while there is another submarine known as INS Chakra (akula class) coming from Russia. first make it clear that what are you talking about and what you really want to prove.
@Kafeel
oh by the way how many billions did russia settle to give you admiral gorshkov aka arihant!
Admiral Gorshkov is an AIRCRAFT CARRIER, which will be inducted as INS Vikramaditya. INS Arihant on the other hand is a SUBMARINE. The difference between the two is that one sails ON the water the other UNDER water.
Ignorance may be bliss or even a desired goal of many. But believe me it does look pathetic in public
Imran: We have seen how strong your so called best in the world army is. Havent won one war in the last 65 years and pretend to act like you own the world.
FYI: One should never fear a pakistani cause as long as you promise him aid he will do as you wish and sit quietly in the corner with his begging bowl. If that doesnt work, criticize islam in some part of the world, he will automatically go and blow some of his own people in protest.
@kafeel: INS Chakra is already in service which is a Russian made nuclear sub,now confusing it with INS arihant which is been going on for almost a 5 years shows only your ignorance nutcase...there will be total of 6 nuclear subs by the end of 2020 in indian navy.you go and order some Chinese
@Arijit Sharma: its 100% manufactured by russia some 3 or 4 decades ago.every aspect of refitting the marine was carried by russia and then lollypop was handed over to india.its all russian yes except the painted indian flag.
@AK Murthy: oh by the way how many billions did russia settle to give you admiral gorshkov aka arihant!
India shouldn't neglect other domestic priorities like investing in the country's supply of commodities like water and electricity. Build modern power plants and renew the infrastructure instead of building nuclear submarines! What are they for?
@Defenders: i asked and submarine replied 'YES'. but please give us some time machine kit like your latest water kit to stop 2008 Mumbai attack.
@Indian: forget China and Pak Army , even our civilians enough for you blackies
@Random: Unfortunately for India, it has to keep on check the bad neighbor.
It will seen as a threat by EU, USA and China. Pakistan will not waste its time on this.
@Ninja does it have built in toilets?
No it doesn't, but we have hired a few pakistanis who will clean our submarine for us in return for a few dollars in aid
@killer: Google PSLV and ISRO. compare them with anything in pakistan (whatever u like) if such a thing exists. Google rocket failures in each such capable country. 2 days ago Russian rocket failed to reach target. and finally - sour grapes, no medicine for you.
@Ali tanoli
Why did you not think of Akbar, the great? Oh. He rejected Islam.
Pakistanis are fans of Aurangazeb. That is the reason why your country has so much violence. Sorry brother we cannot.
@Indians : Ok , Please ask this submarine to stop the tragedies like Mumbai Attacks.
India successfully test fired Agni 2 as a part of user trail
@Random jee,
Et- you should open a venture in India as well, quite clear that Indians cannot live without reading your paper even when it’s a different country….
To all the Indian trolls – you guys are more obsessed about Pakistan than the other way around. Want proof . Just go to any Indian paper and see how many comments come from Pakistanis …
. Unfortunately our Govt.'s policy right now is of trolling only "intellectually".Whereas as Pakistan Govt,'s policy is trolling --"physically" like ajmal kasab. When India decides we Indians too must take trolls physically from that day we would stop trolling "intellectually".in your paper.
@Ali tanoli
We know how great was Aurenzeb ? He didn't even spare his parents .In Indian culture , we worship our parents . got it ?So , no need to name our weapons in their memory...
@nomi: I feel India now has to deal with a two front war scenario. Dude the very reason India is building such a big defense net is because it was already facing a two front war scenario.... 1962 Indo China war and 1965 IndoPak war are a thing of the past which have happened 40 years ago....
@Nand: i beleive it will go to ganga for that
it will be like indian satellite, which fell on ground when launched. indians plz reply
Now Pakistan will also test its submarine in 1 week, I wonder how Pakistan does that!!!
@Ali tanoli: No. We will name it Sardar Patel.
Well done! India could not have met this challenge without our help but still they pulled it off.
Even though I am a Pakistani, I say India's military power is a fact that must be accepted. I feel India now has to deal with a two front war scenario.
@Abbas John Good night Browsky.
@joy Goswani, why so much anger on the truth man indias seventy five population live in slums and in ghettos and govt spending on this trash which is got russia bank crrupts twenty years ago and by the way china owns the half world right now china and saudi money running the american govt wake up and accept the truth. @pork smell the texas steak bari lazeez hai.
Pakistan is going to make a submarine which strong text"runs on water(fuel), under water"strong text
Et- you should open a venture in India as well, quite clear that Indians cannot live without reading your paper even when it's a different country....
To all the Indian trolls - you guys are more obsessed about Pakistan than the other way around. Want proof . Just go to any Indian paper and see how many comments come from Pakistanis ...
Thank you for correcting the picture. Much better.
@Ali tanoli: Yes, Musharraf went for some thrash from Russia which he couldn't get. Anyway, Made in China is available for Pakistan to be painted in Green.
@Ali tanoli: Just like China dumps their 3rd grade Military rip-offs in your back-yard. Guess what, the whole world,except NATO, buys Russian equipments. They are world class. Ofcourse, buying is something Pakistan cant imagine for now. So they have to be content with repeated begging and being dumped with Chinese Junks. And yes, no one buys Chinese Defense equipments, except Pakistan.
@Ali tanoli: good try now take nap.
@Pork, In the time of conflict they dont run....
@Ali tanoli: So shall we start considering all the trash that the all weather friend has been flogging to you, which incidently, even their Army refuses to use! Its called excess to the requirement ! In regards to US toys, well better keep that relation on as, they too can pull the plug on everything you have not only economically but also in terms of spares and maintainance too ! So what you have is really other's people's grace ! Don't abuse it as it may just be end for you !
@Ali tanoli: " ... Russia selling all the trash to india and these dumies are happy. ... "
India's national psyche is to make things ourselves as much as possible. However, sometimes, in the interest of time and to get a jump start we have to be dummies and buy trash.
But the maritime equipment referred to in this article is mostly indigenous.
@Ninja: They don't need toilets they are recycling everything
@Ali tanoli So if Russia offers Nuclear submarine to Pakistan.It will reject it as trash, where as if it gets Nuclear submarine from China it is of high quality.Lol you amuse me.
India should name it Aurangzeb Alamgir to this submarin. the great king of india.
@Ali tanoli: applies to all ur military stuffs than to anyother country in this world.
Surprise surprise.. another is due
@Ninja: They do not need toilets. They will come to your soil for that.
@zK: The Mad Race continues….
Which race ? The race is over, Pakistan simply can not afford to comp[ete due to their economic wows ! If they try to compete, then it will be the end of normal society in Pakistan as they simply will not have what little they have in terms of infrastructure, healthcare, education etc ..... Their Army has been eating their big pie, so let's see how long can they keep doing so without any accountabilty or transparency in their current economic cauldron !
Russia selling all the trash to india and these dumies are happy.
Pakistan should not get psyched out with this piece of news or the earlier news of Agni V launch in April this year, as the India China military rivalry will be the one to watch going forward. Pakistan's military prowess can now be better compared with Iran which will be its main rival going forward, as India is clearly moving into a different league altogether.
India is least bothered about pakistan as it is more like a nagging irritant in the backyard, which can be trumped anytime. It is preparing to play a much larger global role and quite rightfully as it finds its true place among the global heavyweights. India is so strong today, that it has left us much much behind. The quickly we understand this, and learn to live according to our small size and miniscule influence, the better it is for us. Our focus should be internal.
Now Pakistan will launch some missile of unknown range from unknown location, but know source of origin.
Well my pakistani friends are jealous:) Don't worry you can ask the chinese for a copy of their nuclear submarine and you will get one quickly. After all the pakistanis have to follow the Indians even though they have to eat grass:)
The image above is that of the submarine in Vizag naval base in Andhra Pradesh. It has been decommissioned and now forms part of a Museum..... INS Kusura served for about 31 years before its was decommissioned and retired from nation's defence services....
@muhammad ahmad saad: the indian agents in pakistan should be ashamed of this militarisation of our eternal enemy who teaches us aman ke asha to gain supremacy in south asia. Similarly should the Pakistani agents in India be ashamed of this militancy/terrorism of our eternal enemy who teaches us aman ke asha to gain religious supremacy in entire world??
does it have built in toilets?
The submarine pictured is not the Arihant. It is an antique museum piece.
Where did that ridiculous picture come from? That is not the Arihant, It is a museum piece permanently mounted on dry land. I'll bet the one you pictured is at least 40 years old.
Oh now Pakistan will have to get something equal. And Indians will rant against it.
The Mad Race continues....
I would like to congratulate the Indian Navy on its New aquisition. Jai Hind
the indian agents in pakistan should be ashamed of this militarisation of our eternal enemy who teaches us aman ke asha to gain supremacy in south asia.
Hope it does not run on water. It sails under water.