India’s fourth nuclear submarine launched with advanced arms

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Last Updated24/10/2024

India’s fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), referred to as S4*, was launched into water at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam last week, official sources confirmed.

India has made a significant step forward in its nuclear deterrence capability with the recent launch of its fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), known as S4*, at the Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam on October 16, 2024. This marks a substantial upgrade over earlier submarines and represents a major development in India's Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) program.

Bigger and more capable than INS Arihant (S2), India's first SSBN.
Equipped with an improved reactor, enhancing its capabilities over the previous vessels in the series.
Indigenous content is a major factor, with extensive involvement of Indian industry in its development.
Capable of carrying the K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), which has a range of 3,500 km, allowing for significant standoff capability.

India currently operates two commissioned SSBNs:
INS Arihant (S2), commissioned in 2016, which has a 6,000-ton displacement and is powered by an 83 MW pressurized light-water reactor.
INS Arighaat (S3), which shares the same reactor and dimensions as INS Arihant, but features several technological upgrades. It was commissioned in August 2024.
The third SSBN, Aridhman (S4), is undergoing sea trials and is expected to be commissioned by 2025. The newly launched S4* adds to the fleet and will further bolster India’s nuclear triad.

India's SSBN fleet plays a crucial role in maintaining a robust, survivable, and assured retaliatory capability in line with its policy of ‘Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD)’ and ‘No First Use’ (NFU).
The S4*, with its advanced SLBM capability, provides India the ability to launch nuclear weapons from the sea, ensuring a second-strike capability in the event of a nuclear attack.
The development of these nuclear submarines is critical to India's ability to monitor and secure the Indo-Pacific region, where tensions are increasing.
The recent approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security to construct two indigenous nuclear attack submarines (SSN) further demonstrates India's commitment to strengthening its maritime defense posture.

India’s journey toward achieving a full nuclear triad began with the Phokran-II nuclear tests in 1998. The completion of this triad was formally announced in 2018, after INS Arihant completed its first deterrence patrol.
The ATV project, initiated in the 1980s, has steadily progressed, with successive SSBNs providing India with increasingly sophisticated undersea nuclear deterrence.
The K-4 SLBM, tested in 2020, will serve as the primary weapon system for the S4*, offering a significant leap in range and capability until the more advanced 5,000 km SLBM is developed.
India’s SSBN fleet underscores the nation's commitment to maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent while adhering to its No First Use policy and strategic doctrines.