Bolstering deterrence through submarine dominance, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• INS Aridhaman, the third submarine in India's SSBN program, was speculated to be commissioned recently, enhancing India's nuclear triad.
• Compared to INS Arihant and INS Arighat, INS Aridhaman has greater firing power, carrying up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles.
• The commissioning of INS Aridhaman strengthens India's deterrence capabilities in the maritime domain, crucial due to increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean.
• India aims to commission its first fully indigenously designed nuclear attack submarine (SSN) by 2036, with the second planned for 2038.

Detailed Insights:

• The SSBN project enhances India's quest for self-reliance in defence production, especially given the strains in defence supply chains due to global conflicts.
• India's nuclear outlook is based on its 'no first use' policy; however, the strategic environment in the Indian Ocean necessitates strengthened deterrence capabilities.
• Modern warfare's evolving nature requires strengthening deterrence across land, air, and sea, as conflicts can quickly transition between domains.
• The Indian Navy needs to balance upgrading its submarine program with inducting new technologies like Artificial Intelligence and autonomous systems.
• The increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean through research and survey vessels with dual-use technologies poses a challenge to India's maritime security.
• The commissioning of INS Aridhaman is a critical step in bolstering India's sea-based deterrence, essential for countering adversarial maneuvers by China and Pakistan.

Key Concepts Involved:

• SSBN (Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine): A submarine capable of launching ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.
• Nuclear Triad: A three-pronged military force structure that consists of land-launched nuclear missiles, nuclear-missile-armed submarines, and strategic aircraft with nuclear bombs and missiles.
• No First Use Policy: A nuclear doctrine where a state pledges not to use nuclear weapons as a means of warfare unless first attacked by an adversary using nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Triad