In this picture released on April 3, 2026, the Indian Navy’s INS Aridhaman, the third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, is seen in its original condition before its commissioning ceremony. Photo: @JM_Scindia/X via PTI Photo
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh presided over a brief ceremony in Visakhapatnam on Friday (April 3) to formally commission the country’s third nuclear submarine, INS Aridhaman (S4), which is the third in the Submersible Ship Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) class.
The ship, which is part of the strategic weapons program, falls under the domain of strategic forces and is part of the country’s nuclear triad. According to Navy sources, the commissioning was not publicized and was done quietly, but Mr. Singh gave enough hints to confirm the commissioning of the vessel.
While the event was kept under wraps, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh posted a cryptic message on ‘X’ on social media, describing the submarine as, “Not words but power, ‘Aridhaman’!”
Navy sources said the commissioning of INS Aridhaman was in the cards as the submarine had already undergone extensive sea trials and this coincided with Mr Singh’s visit to Visakhapatnam to commission the stealth guided missile frigate INS Taragiri on April 3.
Originally launched as an Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, the closely guarded SSBN project is being implemented by the Shipbuilding Center (SBC) in Visakhapatnam. The first ship was launched in July 2009 and quietly commissioned in 2016. The second indigenously built SSBN, INS Arighaat, was commissioned in August 2024.
While Arihant and Arighaat are smaller ships of about 6,000 tons, Aridhaman (S4) and S4* are larger ships of about 7,000 tons. The S4* (which may be named Arisudan) is currently undergoing sea trials.
It may be recalled that Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi had said last December that INS Aridhaman was in the final stages of trials and would soon be commissioned.
Compared to its predecessors, the Aridhaman and its successor, the S4*, will have more firepower and can carry up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles, eight K-4 missiles or K-5 missiles, which may have a nuclear warhead.
Arihant and Arighaat can carry about twelve K-15 Sagarika missiles or four K-4 missiles.
K-4 missiles have a range of about 3,500 km and are developed as submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear weapons.
India is already one of the nations, along with the US, Russia, China and France, to have a nuclear triad capability, meaning it has the ability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles from the air, land and sea.
In addition to the SSBN, India also plans to self-build several SSNs (nuclear-powered attack submarines), of which at least two are expected to be commissioned by 2036–39.
Published – 03 Apr 2026 18:09 IST
