India to commission third indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Aridhaman by May

Key facts

• India is nearing the commissioning of its third homegrown nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridhaman, which is expected to enter service by May.
• The submarine was constructed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme in Visakhapatnam and weighs approximately 7,000 tonnes.
• INS Aridhaman is powered by an 83-megawatt nuclear reactor and features advanced indigenous sonar systems named USHUS and Panchendriya.
• The vessel is designed to carry nuclear-capable missiles, including the K-15 Sagarika with a 750-km range and the K-4 missile with a 3,500-km strike range.
• Upon commissioning, the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) will operate three nuclear ballistic missile submarines, alongside INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.
• The submarine will eventually be stationed at Project Varsha, an ultra-secure naval base situated near Visakhapatnam.
• India is also scheduled to induct the Russian-built nuclear attack submarine Chakra III by 2027-28 and is negotiating with Germany for six submarines under Project-75(I).
• Pakistan is reportedly procuring eight Hangor-class diesel-electric attack submarines from China as part of a 5 billion dollar deal signed in 2015.