INS Aridaman: India Strengthens Its Naval Nuclear Deterrence

India has commissioned its third indigenously-built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridaman, enhancing its naval nuclear deterrence. This marks a significant milestone in India’s strategic capabilities within a select group of nuclear-powered nations, as it shifts focus towards advancing its underwater nuclear strength.

On Friday, India significantly bolstered its naval nuclear triad by commissioning its third indigenously-built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridaman. This development comes as the nation navigates a rapidly evolving regional security landscape, aiming to enhance its underwater strategic deterrence capabilities.

The INS Aridaman is the third vessel in a closely-guarded SSBN project following INS Arihant and INS Arighat, marking India's continued commitment to expanding its naval nuclear assets. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi were present at the commissioning ceremony held at a strategic naval base in southern India.

With its induction, India joins an elite group of countries with nuclear-powered submarines: the US, Russia, the UK, France, and China. The commissioning reinforces India’s stance on nuclear deterrence and reflects a strategic shift towards strengthening underwater nuclear capabilities. The project supports India's doctrine of 'credible minimum deterrence' and the policy of 'no first use.'