Nuclear Submarines and Indian Navy

10 Apr, 2002    ·   719

Cdr Vijay Sakhuja makes a case for nuclear submarines for building a credible nuclear deterrent

Vijay Sakhuja
Vijay Sakhuja
The India ’s Nuclear Doctrine states that “ India 's strategic interests require effective credible nuclear deterrence and adequate retaliatory capability should deterrence fail”. Further, “credibility”, “effectiveness” and “survivability” are the cardinal principles on which India 's nuclear deterrent will rest. A nuclear strike on India shall result in a retaliatory strike to inflict unacceptable damage on the ‘would be’ attacker for which India must possess a ‘credible and survivable’ nuclear deterrent. Nuclear submarines fit this bill. They possess the attributes of “responsiveness”, “flexibility”, “survivability”, “connectivity” and “endurance” offering national decision-makers the most credible and reliable nuclear deterrent in their arsenal. Towards that end, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, the new Chief of Naval Staff, noted that any country that espouses the doctrine of no first use of nuclear weapons must have a second strike capability. He said “the most powerful leg of the triad is the Navy — hidden, moving and under the water.”

 

 

Indian nuclear scientists, strategists and naval planners have watched the development of nuclear submarines by other navies. It was in the late 1970s that serious thought was given to the development of nuclear submarines. By 1987, India began to negotiate with the Soviet Union for the lease of a nuclear submarine. In January 1988, a 670 A Skat series (Charlie class in NATO classification) 4,800 ton nuclear submarine (fitted with eight Ameist SS-N-7 Starbright anti-ship missiles of 120 km range) and capable of carrying nuclear warheads was acquired by the Indian Navy on lease from the Soviet Union. The vessel was commissioned as INS Chakra. Eventually, the Skat became not only the training ground for the Indian naval personnel, but a design laboratory for developing and testing indigenous nuclear submarine technology. On expiry of the lease in 1991, INS Chakra was returned to Russia . 

 

 

The indigenous nuclear submarine designated Advance Technology Vessels (ATVs) programme has been under way for almost two decades. It has made little progress. The ATV submarine is expected to be of 4,000 ton displacement, and four to five such vessels are to be built. According to the Russian Defence Ministry's official newspaper, Krasnaya Zevezda, Russia is assisting India in building the nuclear submarine, which is a copy of the new Russian Severodvinsk class attack submarine, currently under construction in Severodvinsk . It will be fitted with a PWR reactor of 190 MW output. As regards weapons, the ATV vessel is expected to host either the Yahont anti-ship cruise missile (designed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya) with a range of 300 km or the indigenous Sagarika.

 

 

There are reports to indicate that India is planning to lease a Russian SSN to bolster the development of the ATV. Media reports suggest that New Delhi and Moscow may have finalised a deal for India to lease (commencing 2004) a Victor III (Schuka) SSN (capable of firing SS-N-15 anti-submarine missiles and SS-N-21 intermediate–range cruise missiles) for about five years. This would assist the old crew to sharpen their skills and the new crew to be familiar with nuclear submarine operations till the ATV vessel enters service. 

 

 

The current Indian Navy submarine force is a mix of Russian and German origin boats. They belong to the Soviet Foxtrot (these will be retired soon) and Kilo class, and four HDW type 209/1500 boats (two built in India ) of German origin. Reports suggest that, in 2001, India and France struck a deal to build French Scorpene-class boats (these are considered superior to the French supplied Agosta 90B to Pakistan ) at the submarine production facility in Mazagon Docks, Mumbai. A thirty-year submarine construction plan upto 2025 aims at building an inventory of 24 submarines and boosting indigenous production. Future Indian submarines would incorporate stealth features and have the capability to fire missiles. The Indian Navy has shown interest in “Klub”, (codenamed SS-NX-27 by NATO) missiles for its submarines. The latest Kilo class submarine Sindhushastra, equipped with tube launched ‘Klub’ anti-ship missile, adds punch to the capability of conventional submarines. 

 

 

India is engaged in a submarine acquisition programme. A variety of advanced platforms and electronic warfare equipment have been added to the inventory and submarines, with land attack capability, are high on the agenda. 

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