India set to get bigger, deadlier nuclear submarine INS Aridhaman as Pak eyes 8 Chinese subs

India’s underwater nuclear might is about to get a major upgrade. INS Aridhaman, the country’s third homegrown nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, is nearing commissioning and could enter service as early as April or May, defence sources say. The stealth war machine is currently undergoing final sea trials before officially joining the Indian Navy.

Once commissioned, India will, for the first time, have three nuclear ballistic missile submarines ready for deployment under the Strategic Forces Command. This pushes the country closer to achieving “continuous at-sea deterrence”—a crucial strategic shield that ensures at least one nuclear-armed submarine is always hidden somewhere in the oceans, ready to retaliate if needed.

Notably, Pakistan is also expanding their underwater fleet with Chinese-built submarines - it is reportedly eyeing eight advanced Hangor-class diesel-electric attack submarines from China under a $5 billion 2015 deal to bolster its naval capabilities.

All about INS Aridhaman

The massive submarine, built under India’s secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme in Visakhapatnam, is bigger and deadlier than its predecessors INS Arihant and INS Arighaat. Weighing around 7,000 tonnes, INS Aridhaman can carry a heavier load of nuclear-capable missiles, including the K-15 Sagarika with a 750-km strike range and the far more powerful K-4 missile capable of hitting targets up to 3,500 km away—putting large parts of Asia within reach.

INS Aridhaman will dramatically strengthen India’s second-strike capability, a cornerstone of nuclear defence strategy. Designed for stealth, the submarine uses advanced indigenous sonar systems like USHUS and Panchendriya, along with special sound-absorbing tiles that make it extremely difficult for enemy forces to detect.

Powered by an 83-megawatt nuclear reactor, the submarine can stay underwater for extended periods, making it a silent but lethal guardian beneath the waves. It will eventually operate from Project Varsha, India’s ultra-secure submarine base near Visakhapatnam.

Meanwhile, India is also preparing to induct the Russian-built nuclear attack submarine Chakra III by 2027-28 and is negotiating a multi-billion-dollar deal with Germany to build six next-generation submarines under Project-75(I).