Setting a new delivery date delayed in relation to previous reports that already reflected setbacks, the Indian Navy would be foreseeing to finally incorporate into service in 2026 the third of its new nuclear ballistic missile submarines, the same ones known as the Arihant class. At the beginning of this year, local media estimated that the institution would receive said unit during the course of 2025, seeking thereby to reinforce the country’s deterrence capabilities as soon as possible, something that now does not appear feasible.
Expanding on some details, it must be mentioned that the news was hinted at this past Tuesday by the current head of the Indian Navy, Dinesh K. Tripathi, while he was being questioned by the Indian press. That authority indicated that the submarine in question, the same one that will bear the name INS Aridhaman, would be placed into service in the near future after completing its final sea trials, a phase in which it currently finds itself. As such, analysts’ estimates lean toward thinking that this will not be completed in what remains of December, but only at the beginning of 2026.
It must be recalled at this point that the Indian Navy already has at its disposal the first two units of the Arihant class, specifically the INS Arihant and INS Arighaat; incorporated in 2018 and 2024 respectively. This makes it possible to begin shaping a fleet that would be composed of four units in the future, thus consolidating one of the parts of that nuclear triad New Delhi seeks to possess, attempting to secure a qualitative advantage over its long-time regional rival, namely: Pakistan.
In that sense, it is useful to highlight that the first two Arihant-class submarines are equipped with up to four missile tubes, while the new INS Aridhaman would have double thanks to its larger dimensions (about 10 meters longer). According to previous reports by the Federation of American Scientists, each of these has the capacity to carry one K-4 type ballistic missile, or failing that, three K-15 type missiles. In the first case, this is armament with a range situated around 3,500 kilometers, while the latter would reach the 1,500-kilometer mark; both with the necessary reach to strike targets located within Chinese and Pakistani territory.
When comparing Indian capabilities with those of these two countries, it stands out that Pakistan currently lacks submarines capable of deploying these types of armaments, the project seeking to equip the country with a new missile suitable for launch from these platforms still being under development. For its part, the Chinese Navy does have at its disposal a fleet of submarines with nuclear strike capability, and moreover does so with a greater number of units than those planned for the Arihant class; with reports pointing to six units at present.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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