The Indian Navy has recently commissioned INS Aridhaman, its third Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), significantly bolstering India’s sea-based strategic deterrence against its nuclear-armed neighbours China and Pakistan. With three SSBNs now in operation and two more set to join the fleet in the coming years, the Indian Navy is transitioning toward a continuous at-sea deterrent posture, shifting from periodic presence to sustained availability, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

GlobalData’s latest report, “The Global Submarine Market Forecast 2026–2036,” indicates that India is projected to allocate about $641.1 billion cumulatively over the period 2026–36 to procure various categories of submarines. Central to this expansion is the procurement of upcoming S5-class SSBNs and Project 77 nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs).

INS Aridhaman doubles the vertical launch capacity of its predecessors to eight tubes, capable of carrying either eight 3,500 km-range K-4 missiles or twenty-four 750 km-range K-15 missiles.

Harshavardhan Dabbiru, Aerospace and Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The commissioning of INS Aridhaman, which features sophisticated indigenous subsystems and weapons such as the reactor, sonar, communication suite, and ballistic missiles, highlights a maturing industrial base that is scaling up its indigenous design and manufacturing capabilities.”

Parallel to the expansion of nuclear-powered submarine fleet, India is looking to grow its conventional submarine force through Project 75I, which aims to deliver six diesel engine-powered submarines. In addition, the Indian Navy plans to retrofit its in-service Scorpène-class submarines with indigenously developed air independent propulsion (AIP) systems. Together, these efforts indicate the presence of a robust home-grown submarine-building ecosystem in the country, capable of undertaking complex manufacturing projects.

Dabbiru concludes: “Because the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad is the most survivable component of a country’s nuclear arsenal after a devastating first strike, India is likely to deploy a greater share of its nuclear weapons at sea. Accordingly, the country will continue to field submarine platforms capable of launching nuclear-tipped missiles in the coming years. Given India’s stringent no‑first‑use policy, maintaining a credible nuclear deterrence requires strengthening its second‑strike capability, particularly through its rapidly expanding SSBN fleet.”