Date :31-Aug-2024
THE commissioning of the Nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat into the Indian Navy has taken place at a very opportune moment. That the new submarine is a tribute to the spirit and capabilities of innovation of the Indian Navy as well as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), does deserve a proud mention. But what is of far greater importance is the value INS Arighaat has added to India’s Nuclear Triad — which Defence Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh mentioned in his statement at the commissioning of the new warship at Visakhapattanam. INS Arighaat joins her elder sister INS Arihant to give a much better and sharper strategic edge to the Indian Navy — which the nation had been waiting for for some time.
The new submarine is also a tribute to India’s strategic production policy of self-reliance — Atmanirbhar Bharat — and will make major global powers turn their heads. India has been one of the only four countries in the world to have Nuclear-Triad — other countries being the United States, Russia, and China, (and suspectedly Israel). India has made conscious efforts over time to evolve its Nuclear-Triad with a fine geopolitical doctrine to trigger this development.
The new submarine is also a tribute to India’s strategic production policy of self-reliance — Atmanirbhar Bharat — and will make major global powers turn their heads. India has been one of the only four countries in the world to have Nuclear-Triad — other countries being the United States, Russia, and China, (and suspectedly Israel). India has made conscious efforts over time to evolve its Nuclear-Triad with a fine geopolitical doctrine to trigger this development.
As per such an arrangement, India has developed a three-pronged, nuclear-powered military-force mechanism operating from land, air and water — land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), strategic bomber-based nuclear bombs and missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) — now represented by INS Arihant and INS Arighaat (which has enhanced the overall Indian Nuclear-Triad in capacity and reach).
This explains the sense of pride in the tone and tenor of Mr. Rajnath Singh’s assertion about the country’s growing strategic capabilities — particularly with the Indian Navy in fresh focus. For long, despite its severe limitations, the Indian Navy has been described as the prima donna of the Indian Ocean (Region), thanks to the strategic locational advantage it enjoyed. However, telling itself that the mere platonic status of a prima donna was not enough, the Indian leadership launched a well-defined programme of expansion of the country’s oceanic military footprint to make the Indian Navy one of the world’s top blue-water forces. INS Arihant and now INS Arighaat are two of the signatures of that vision and effort.
The Indian Navy also prides itself in having two operational aircraft carriers — INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. Soon, it will have a third one — INS Viraat — that is going through advanced open-sea trials (with massive dosage of indigenous components).
This explains the sense of pride in the tone and tenor of Mr. Rajnath Singh’s assertion about the country’s growing strategic capabilities — particularly with the Indian Navy in fresh focus. For long, despite its severe limitations, the Indian Navy has been described as the prima donna of the Indian Ocean (Region), thanks to the strategic locational advantage it enjoyed. However, telling itself that the mere platonic status of a prima donna was not enough, the Indian leadership launched a well-defined programme of expansion of the country’s oceanic military footprint to make the Indian Navy one of the world’s top blue-water forces. INS Arihant and now INS Arighaat are two of the signatures of that vision and effort.
The Indian Navy also prides itself in having two operational aircraft carriers — INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. Soon, it will have a third one — INS Viraat — that is going through advanced open-sea trials (with massive dosage of indigenous components).
This segment of the Indian Navy represents a very critical component of the Indian Navy’s ambitious expansion programme — which the world is watching carefully. The two N-powered submarines add another edge to the country’s oceanic military vision.
One of the most important dimensions of India’s expansive strategic development as per a redefined doctrine is the sense of open assertion of the national vision in geopolitics with no mincing of words and no coy and apologetic statements. In the past some years, India’s strategic language has changed to a higher assertion and its implementation has risen to very specific and precise programme — represented not just by INS Arighaat but also a few more additions to the overall naval power house.
India’s strategic vision recognises a changing scenario due to the changed perceptions of global military powers, and therefore has a 360-degree consideration to make a critical difference to its security perception and management.
One of the most important dimensions of India’s expansive strategic development as per a redefined doctrine is the sense of open assertion of the national vision in geopolitics with no mincing of words and no coy and apologetic statements. In the past some years, India’s strategic language has changed to a higher assertion and its implementation has risen to very specific and precise programme — represented not just by INS Arighaat but also a few more additions to the overall naval power house.
India’s strategic vision recognises a changing scenario due to the changed perceptions of global military powers, and therefore has a 360-degree consideration to make a critical difference to its security perception and management.