New Delhi, Dec 2 (PTI) India is strengthening the naval component of its nuclear triad with Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Tuesday confirming that a new indigenously-built nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine will be commissioned into the service soon.
Admiral Tripathi, addressing a press conference ahead of the Navy Day, said the process to seal the proposed acquisition of six stealth submarines under Project 75 India is nearing completion.
The diesel-electric submarines are being procured at a cost of around Rs 70,000 crore.
Admiral Tripathi also said that the Navy will get the first four of the 26 Rafale-M fighter jets in 2028. India inked the Rs 64,000 crore deal with France in April to procure the jets.
The Navy Chief said India will commission the third indigenous nuclear powered submarine, INS Aridaman, soon.
“Aridaman is in the final stages of trials and it will be commissioned soon,” he said. India’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) programme is a closely guarded project.
INS Arihant was the first vessel under the SSBN project that was followed by INS Arighat. INS Arihant is India’s first home-made nuclear submarine. It was launched in July 2009 and was quietly commissioned in 2016.
The Navy commissioned its second indigenous SSBN, INS Arighaat, in August 2024. The SSBN stands for ship submersible ballistic nuclear or nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
INS Aridaman is set to be commissioned early next year. Following this, work will focus on a fourth nuclear-powered submarine. While India has proven air and land-launched nuclear capabilities, it is now focusing on boosting its underwater nuclear prowess.
India is among a select group of countries having nuclear-powered submarines. The countries that have such assets are: the US, Russia, the UK, France and China.
In his remarks, the Navy Chief also highlighted his force’s role during Operation Sindoor and said its aggressive posturing forced the Pakistan Navy to remain close to their ports.
The Admiral said the Indian Navy maintained a high operational readiness, including in the Western Arabian Sea, in the last seven-eight months following the hostilities with Pakistan. The Navy Chief, without elaborating, said Operation Sindoor “remains in progress”.
“The aggressive posturing and immediate action during Operation Sindoor, including deployment of the carrier battle group forced the Pakistan Navy to remain close to their ports or near the Makran coast,” he said.
“It (Op Sindoor) is an operation which still remains in progress, and therefore, many operational details cannot be put out in the open domain for obvious reasons,” he said.
The Navy Chief said Operation Sindoor has put financial strain on Pakistan as a significant number of merchant ships avoided travelling to that country following the hostilities.
The cost of insurance for the vessels to travel to Pakistan had also gone up, he said, adding there was a 10-15 per cent drop in trade to Pakistan during Op Sindoor.
“Many major shipping companies avoided Pakistani ports. There was an increase in insurance premiums for ships going to Pakistan ports, which led to a reduction in the number of merchant ships willing to take the risk,” he said.
Admiral Tripathi also said that the Indian Navy did not notice any Chinese support to the Pakistan Navy during Operation Sindoor but noted that it is widely known that the Pakistani military used Chinese-manufactured weapons.
The Navy Chief said the INS Vikrant carrier battle group played a key role in confining the Pakistan Navy to its ports and the Makran coast.
“We continue to maintain a high tempo of operations, including in the northern Arabian Sea, and robust maritime domain awareness so that we can swiftly respond to any eventuality,” he said.
He also responded to a question on activities of Chinese research vessels in the Indian Ocean Region by saying that the Indian Navy keeps a strict vigil on all such actions and that there is no need for concern.
“The Indian Navy is aware of all activities and not just China’s. We take appropriate action as per the government’s directions. There is no need to be concerned,” he said.
Admiral Tripathi said the contract negotiations to build six next-generation submarines is at an advanced stage.
“I am hopeful that the next stage which is contract conclusion will also happen very quickly,” he said.
Leading German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has partnered with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd for the project, billed as one of the biggest ‘Make in India’ initiatives in recent years.
The procurement was initially cleared by the ministry in 2021.
The Navy Chief said the deliveries of the Rafale Marine fighter jets to the Navy are expected to begin in 2028.
In April, India and France inked an intergovernmental agreement sealing a mega deal to procure 26 Rafale marine jets at a cost of Rs 64,000 crore (Euro 7 billion) for deployment on board the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The Indian Navy also unveiled a new version of the Indian Maritime Doctrine. Initially published in 2004 and revised in 2009, with minor amendments in 2015, the 2025 edition reflects the major transformations in India’s maritime environment and strategic outlook.
The Indian Maritime Doctrine 2025 lays the foundation for the Navy’s strategy and operations, providing a shared understanding of the principles that guide employment across the spectrum of conflict.
It defines the Navy’s roles, answering the central question: “Why we do what we do,” a navy spokesperson said.
This new edition reflects the transformation in India’s maritime environment over the last decade and incorporates India’s broader vision of harnessing the oceans as a key pillar of Viksit Bharat 2047. PTI MPB RT RT
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.