Indian Navy has commissioned INS Aridhaman, its third indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
The ceremony took place at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam today. INS Aridhaman, also known as S4, joins INS Arihant and INS Arighaat in service. It strengthens the sea-based part of India’s nuclear deterrent.
The submarine weighs about 7,000 tonnes. It measures around 125 metres in length. It runs on an 83 MW compact light water reactor. This allows the vessel to stay underwater for long periods without needing to surface.
INS Aridhaman features eight vertical launch tubes. It can carry up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles with a range of 750 km or eight K-4 missiles with a range of 3,500 km. These improvements make it larger and more capable than the earlier Arihant-class submarines, which displace 6,000 tonnes and have four launch tubes.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the event as a major achievement in India’s self-reliance efforts. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi said the induction expands the operational fleet of nuclear submarines and boosts the country’s strategic capabilities.
The submarine was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel project. Private companies, including Larsen & Toubro, played key roles in its construction. It underwent extensive sea trials before commissioning.
This marks the first time India operates three nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines at the same time. The vessels come under the Strategic Forces Command.
INS Aridhaman adds to India’s nuclear triad, which includes land, air, and sea-based delivery systems. The Navy continues to expand its underwater fleet as part of efforts to modernise and achieve greater self-reliance in defence technology. A fourth submarine of similar size is already under construction.
