INS Aridaman

• INS Aridaman is India’s third indigenously built SSBN, part of the Arihant-class nuclear submarines under the Strategic Forces Command, designed to provide assured retaliatory capability under India’s no-first-use nuclear doctrine.

Built By: Constructed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) Project, led by:

• Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam
• It integrates over 90% indigenous components, including its nuclear reactor.

History of India’s Nuclear Submarine Programme:

• Initiated under the ATV programme in the late 1980s to achieve a credible underwater nuclear deterrent.
• INS Arihant (launched 2009, commissioned 2016) made India the 6th nation with operational SSBN capability.
• INS Arighat followed in 2024.
• INS Aridaman will be the third operational SSBN, marking the first time India will have a minimum rotation fleet for continuous at-sea deterrence.

Key Features of INS Aridaman:

• Displacement: ~6,000 tonnes (surface), ~7,000 tonnes (submerged)
• Reactor: 83 MW pressurised water reactor (BARC) enabling near-unlimited endurance
• Armament:
  • Four vertical launch tubes
  • Up to 24 K-15 Sagarika SLBMs (750 km range) or
  • K-4 missiles with 3,500 km range
• Stealth Enhancements: Anechoic tiles, advanced sonar suite (bow, flank, towed array)

Significance:

• NS Aridaman is India’s third indigenously built SSBN, part of the Arihant-class nuclear submarines under the Strategic Forces Command, designed to provide assured retaliatory capability under India’s no-first-use nuclear doctrine.

Built By: Constructed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) Project, led by:

• Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam
• It integrates over 90% indigenous components, including its nuclear reactor.

History of India’s Nuclear Submarine Programme:

• Initiated under the ATV programme in the late 1980s to achieve a credible underwater nuclear deterrent.
• INS Arihant (launched 2009, commissioned 2016) made India the 6th nation with operational SSBN capability.
• INS Arighat followed in 2024.
• INS Aridaman will be the third operational SSBN, marking the first time India will have a minimum rotation fleet for continuous at-sea deterrence.

Key Features of INS Aridaman:

• Displacement: ~6,000 tonnes (surface), ~7,000 tonnes (submerged)
• Reactor: 83 MW pressurised water reactor (BARC) enabling near-unlimited endurance
• Armament:
  • Four vertical launch tubes
  • Up to 24 K-15 Sagarika SLBMs (750 km range) or
  • K-4 missiles with 3,500 km range
• Stealth Enhancements: Anechoic tiles, advanced sonar suite (bow, flank, towed array)

Significance:

• Strengthens Nuclear Triad: Provides survivable, assured second-strike capability essential under India’s no-first-use posture.
• Enhances Maritime Security: Expands the Navy’s deterrence reach across the Indo-Pacific amid rising regional tensions.
• Boost to Aatmanirbhar Bharat: High indigenous content reflects mastery over complex nuclear naval propulsion.