The US president said the submarines are ‘in the region, where they have to be’. On Friday, he ordered their deployment near Russia after ex-president Medvedev called sanctions a ‘step towards war’.
Security analysts call Trump’s move a rhetorical escalation with Moscow, noting the US already has nuclear powered submarines that are deployed and capable of striking Russia.
While India could have only covered certain parts of Pakistan with K-15, K-4 enables it to have wider range covering not just whole of Pakistan but also large part of China.
The AUKUS deal was signed in 2021 with the US pushing out France, which was in talks with Australia to sell 12 conventional diesel-electric submarines.
Satellite images from Planet Labs from June appear to show cranes at Wuchang shipyard, where the nuclear-powered attack submarine would have been docked.
Submarine can carry 12 K-15 ballistic missiles with a range of 750 km or 4 K-4 missiles with range up to 3,500 km. Major step in strengthening country's second-strike capabilities.
These submarines are 170m long & estimated to travel up to 29 knots once submerged. They stand out in stealth capabilities compared to their predecessors & can carry 16 Bulava missiles.
Deal envisages sale of American US Virginia class submarines to Canberra & development of a new nuclear-powered submarine. Beijing calls it ‘serious nuclear proliferation’.
Congressional Research Service report highlights challenges in expanding fleet. Schedule could derail regional plans to counter Beijing’s growing power over Indian & Pacific Oceans.
SEBI probe concluded that purported loans and fund transfers were paid back in full and did not amount to deceptive market practices or unreported related party transactions.
India exited the Indo-Russian FGFA programme in 2018. But now it might procure at least 2 squadrons of Su-57 aircraft from Russia and evaluate Russian proposal to manufacture them in India.
Many really smart people now share the position that playing cricket with Pakistan is politically, strategically and morally wrong. It is just a poor appreciation of competitive sport.
COMMENTS