India boosts naval power with growing nuclear submarine fleet but is it closing gap with China?

India’s fleet expansion of nuclear-powered submarines will significantly boost its security interests in the Indian Ocean as it jostles for influence with China, but a yawning technological gap still exists between New Delhi and Beijing, observers say.

The South Asian nation last month added its second nuclear-capable ballistic missile submarine and is expected to deploy one more next year, but it is still seen as being on the shorter end of the power imbalance in the region.

The nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arighaat – which means “destroyer of enemies” in Sanskrit – is believed to have a similar configuration to its predecessor INS Arihant, though authorities are tight-lipped on details of its weapons platform.

Both underwater vessels are armed with K-15 Sagarika ballistic missiles which are thought to have a range of about 750km. In comparison, Chinese submarines have a range of at least 8,000km to 10,000km, analysts say.

“As a kind of deterrent signal to China … Indian subs [when fully operational] will be on extended prowl in the Indian Ocean Region and elsewhere if required,” said C Uday Bhaskar, director of the New Delhi-based Society for Policy Studies and a retired commodore.

“But these numbers will not provide adequate ‘sufficiency’. More underwater platforms of this type will be required. And whether they will be acquired [ …] will depend on what India decides to prioritise by way of its transborder military capability.”