New Delhi: With ‘Project Delta’, its plan to augment its submarine fleet, delayed beyond 2027 due to Russia’s war with Ukraine, the Indian Navy has approached the government for approval to build two nuclear-powered conventionally armed submarines or SSNs to deter the country’s adversaries in the Indo-Pacific.
While the 30-year-old submarine plan approved by the Modi government in 2015 sanctions six SSNs in the Indo-Pacific, the first step is the acceptance of necessity (AoN) for two SSNs. The matter has been raised at the apex level and consultations are on to expedite the process.
The principal reason for Indian national security planners opting for SSNs is that a nuclear attack submarine’s range is limited by crew endurance, supplies and waste disposal, while conventional attack submarines surface for recharging of batteries every second day. The speed of SSNs is 20 knots under water but the SSKs or diesel-electric submarines only register four to five knots even with air-independent propulsion.
Another reason for the focus on SSNs is that SSBNs are only for nuclear deterrence and are part of India’s second-strike capability. India’s first four SSBNs, all Arihant class will be equipped with 750 km range K-15 ballistic missiles, while the next class will be equipped with 3000 km range K-4 ballistic missiles.
