Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma speaking to the reporters in New Delhi had said that INS Arihant, the nuclear-powered submarine that was built in the country, was in the final stages of the testing and would soon be out on sea-trials.

INS Arihant, capable of carrying nuclear missiles, is expected to join the fleet of the Indian Navy in less than a year and a half.

With the INS Arihant included in the Navy, the Indian nuclear triad would be complete. India which is already capable of firing nuclear weapons both on land and from air would now be equipped if the indigenous submarine passes all the tests. The chief has however refused to provide information regarding the weapons on board.

As planned the sea-trials were to be conducted a year ago but they had to be procrastinated due to technical problems.

Last month  Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) had announced their success in developing nuclear-tipped submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) which are unlike Agni- like missiles which are fired surface-to-surface. There is a very high chance that INS Arihant would take this missile on board.

With this feat India will join the likes of US, Russia, France, China and the UK which already are capable to launch a submarine-based ballistic missile.

India however has outdated submarines in the Naval forces. Admiral Verma admitted concern  that bureaucratic delays have prevented the upgradations. Of the 14 submarines available only 7 are functional at any given time and they have to be deployed along the either coast.

The original plans to study the technology after purchasing the submarines from other countries and then use the research in constructing our own submarines was dropped after Hindustan Shipyard Limited had failed to build the accepted 3  submarines. The Indian Navy had now asked the government to build two submarines in foreign shipyards that are far more equipped. “In the long run it will be help our technicians gain expertise and cut down in delays when building in India”, Admiral Verma said.

(AW- Anil)