INS Aridhaman took social media by storm after Defense Minister Rajnath Singh wrote a cryptic post on Friday that many believed hinted at the commissioning of the Arihant-class submarine INS Aridhaman.
What did Rajnath Singh post on X?
The day the Indian Navy commissioned INS Taragiri, Rajnath Singh went to X to say, “Shabd nahi, Shakti hai ‘Aridhaman'” This translated as, “Not just a word, ‘Aridhaman’ is a force!”
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Following Singh’s post, news agency ANI claimed that in his post, X Rajnath Singh described the submarine as more than just a name and called it a symbol of power.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Communications and North East Development Jyotiraditya Scindia posted on X, “India is all set to welcome its 3rd nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridhaman.
There were also reports suggesting that INS Aridhaman will be commissioned during a ceremony on Friday. However, it has not been officially confirmed whether INS Aridhaman was commissioned by the Indian Navy on Friday along with INS Taragiri.
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In December 2025, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi announced that INS Aridhaman would soon be commissioned. Addressing the annual press conference ahead of Navy Day, Admiral Tripathi confirmed that the advanced submarine has entered the final phase of its trials, India Today reported.
What is INS Aridhaman?
INS Aridhaman is India’s third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that was originally built in India. The fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine is said to be designated the S4*, its formal name has yet to be announced.
According to ANI, INS Aridhaman is an advanced version of the Arihant class submarines which followed earlier launches like INS Arighaat in August 2024 and INS Arihant in 2016.
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Equipped to carry longer-range missiles, it significantly enhances India’s naval nuclear deterrent by increasing both strike capability and survivability in line with the country’s nuclear doctrine.
Built under the Advanced Technology Vessel project at the Ship Building Center in Visakhapatnam, INS Aridhaman is designated S4 or SSBN 82, Armyrecognition.com reported.
He added that INS Aridhaman is the third nuclear submarine built in India and the second unit of the Arihant class.
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The submarine is said to have been laid down around 2017 to 2018, quietly launched on 21 or 23 November 2021, and is undergoing port and sea trials from 2022, with final weapons and reactor inspections completed by mid-2025.
Key characteristics according to Armyrecognition.com
1. INS Aridhaman’s displacement is consistently given as about 6,000 tons surfaced and about 7,000 tons submerged, with a complement of about 95 to 100 crew members, including officers and sailors.
2. It is powered by an 83 MW CLWR-B1 compact light water pressurized water reactor derived from the prototype naval reactor at Kalpakkam, which drives a single shaft with a seven-bladed propeller.
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3. Speed is reported to be 12 to 15 knots on the surface and about 24 knots submerged.
4. According to the report, the missile and combat system of INS Aridhaman reflects a larger payload than the earlier Arihant-class units, with eight vertical launch system (VLS) tubes in the elevated hull compared to four on INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.
5. This arrangement allows the submarine to carry up to 24 ballistic missiles launched from the K-15 Sagarika submarine with a range of about 750 kilometers.
6. Alternatively, the submarine can carry up to eight K-4 SLBMs with a range of around 3,500 kilometers and is widely expected to be compatible with future K-5 missiles, which have a range of 5,000 to 6,000 kilometers.
7. INS Aridhaman also retains a set of six 533 mm torpedo tubes for firing heavy torpedoes such as the Varunastra, as well as certain cruise missiles or mines for self-defense and limited conventional strike roles.
Indian nuclear attack submarine
India’s first leased nuclear attack submarine, INS Chakra, was designated S1, which led to the naming of the following submarines: INS Arihant as S2, INS Arighaat as S3 and INS Aridhaman as S4, Hindustan Times reported in October 2024.
The newly launched submarine is designated S4* and its formal name has not yet been announced, he added.
Future classes of Indian SSBNs are expected to have a displacement of 6,000 tons, double that of the Arihant class, and carry nuclear missiles with a range of 5,000 kilometers and more, Hindustan Times reported.
