Despite new nuclear submarine, India still lags China in naval strength, analysts say

India’s recent launch of its second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine may have boosted its deterrence capabilities, but analysts say the country has a long way to go in closing the gap on China’s naval power.

Unveiled last week in the port city of Visakhapatnam, the domestically developed INS Arighaat is armed with K-15 missiles that boast a striking range of 750km (466 miles). At the launch, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that this new submarine would fortify India’s nuclear deterrence and play a decisive role in national security.

He said the INS Arighaat would join its predecessor, the INS Arihant, in bolstering India’s “nuclear triad” – the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land, sea and air.

The submarine’s introduction was timely, according to former chief of India’s naval staff Admiral Arun Prakash, amid challenges posed by the country’s two nuclear-armed neighbours: Pakistan and China.

Prakash highlighted the stark contrasts in nuclear policies among these nations.