India Defense Minister – On 3 April, the social media platform of India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh Launched in 2009, the Indian Navy commissioned its first SSBN, INS Arihant, in 2016, followed by a second submarine, INS Arighat, in 2024. Speculations about the commissioning of INS Aridman have been rife since last year after Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi confirmed that the submarine was in the final stages of its trials.

The next submarine in this series, also of the Arihant class, is likely to be commissioned next year. Compared to its predecessors, INS Arihant and INS Arighat, INS Aridhaman has greater firepower and marks a gradual upgrade in the series of SSBNs commissioned by the Indian Navy.

It is a massive 7,000-tonne ship that can reportedly carry up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles and eight nuclear-tipped K-4 or K-5 missiles. In contrast, previous submarines in this series have the capability to carry twelve K-15 Sagarika missiles and four K-4 missiles.