India's first nuclear submarine set for sea trials

Arihant is powered by an 85-megawatt nuclear reactor and can reach 44 kilometres an hour.


Afp August 08, 2012
India's first nuclear submarine set for sea trials

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)

Hedgefunder | 12 years ago | Reply

@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 !

1984 | 12 years ago | Reply

@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...

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