| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Indian nuclear submarine launched |
| 2009-07-26 |
| India on Sunday crossed a crucial naval milestone with the induction of its first indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made it clear that the country does not have any aggressive designs but has to take all measures to safeguard itself. He said the sea is increasingly becoming relevant in the context of India's security interest and "we must readjust our military preparedness to this changing environment. Our navy has a huge responsibility in this regard". In a symbolic launching ceremony, his wife Gursharan Kaur broke a coconut on the hull of the submarine at its secret naval base 'Matsya' dockyard here, taking India into an elite club of nations that have indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarines. After a brief puja, with the Prime Minister, Defence Minister A K Antony, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy by her side, Ms. Kaur unveiled a plaque naming the 112-metre-long submarine. "I name it INS Arihant (destroyer of the enemy). All the best to the submarine," she said announcing to the world the completion of India's nuclear triad, the capability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles from land, water and sea. Declaring that India has achieved a "historic milestone in the country's defence preparedness", the Prime Minister said, "We do not have any aggressive designs nor do we seek to threaten anyone. We seek an external environment in our region and beyond that is conducive to our peaceful development and protection of our value systems". With Sunday's induction, India has made its entry into an elite club of nations comprising the US, Russia, France, the UK and China which possess capabilities to develop nuclear submarines. Code-named Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), Arihant will carry 'Sagarika' (K-15) missile that has a range of 700 kms. As India has declared "no first use" of nuclear weapons, the country's weapons system must survive a first strike for retaliation. Therefore, Arihant's primary weapon is stealth as it can lurk in ocean depths of half a kilometre or more and fire its missiles from under the sea. The Prime Minister said "nevertheless, it is incumbent upon us to take all measures necessary to safeguard our country and to keep pace with technological advancements worldwide. It has rightly been said that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." He said the government was fully committed to ensuring the defence of national interests and protection of territorial integrity. "We will continue to render all support to the constant modernisation of our armed forces and to ensuring that they remain at the cutting edge of technology," he said. The Prime Minister congratulated the ATV programme and all personnel associated with it for achieving a historic milestone in the country's defence preparedness. "Sunday's launch is a reflection of the immense technical expertise that exists in our country and the strength of our research and development organisations. More importantly, the launch represents the determination and patriotism of our technologists, scientists and defence personnel who have overcome several hurdles and barriers to enable the country to acquire self reliance in the most advanced areas of defence technology," he said. Noting that the submarine is the outcome of a productive public-private enterprise in the country, he expressed his appreciation to "our Russian friends" for their consistent and invaluable cooperation which symbolise the strategic partnership between the two countries. Four more nuclear-powered submarine of this class have already got government's nod and these would add to the Navy's underwater combat potential in the years to come. Sea trials of the submarine will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal off Vishakapatnam, where the vessel was under construction for the last two decades. The Rs 30,000-crore secret nuclear submarine project was started in the 1980s though it was conceived by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s. The first official admission of the project nearing completion came this February when Antony had announced it during the AeroIndia show in Bangalore. Mr. Antony, referring to India's non aggression and no-first-use nuclear policy, said the situation in the region had necessitated the need for a credible second-strike capability. Mr. Mehta said the launch of INS Arihant was the "first visible step towards realisation of the third leg of the nuclear triad. It will help navy to decisively influence events in a wide geographical area and counter all spectrum of conflict". The ATV Programme Director General Vice Admiral (retd) DSP Verma said 'INS Arihant' provided India a sea-based strategic capability, and thanked the private companies such as Larsen and Toubro and Mulchand Industries, apart from Department of Atomic Energy and the Atomic Energy Commission (its chief Anil Kakodkar was present) for the help it rendered in building and testing the pressurised water reactors for the submarine. India has land-based nuclear-capable Agni ballistic missiles, apart from IAF fighters such as Mirage-2000 that can deliver tactical nukes. Two decades ago, India had operated a Charlie-class nuclear submarine, christened INS Chakra, leased from Russia for three years between 1989 and 1991. Moscow will again lease out two Akula-class nuclear submarines to New Delhi for 10 years. Plans to deliver the submarines this June were hit by a mishap during sea trials late last year. But hopes have soared for its delivery in 2010 after Russia took out the repaired vessel for sea trials again early this month. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #2 ION CHINESE MIL FORUM > CHINA-BANGLADESH RELATIONS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR REGIONAL TENSIONS [read, WAR espec as includ INDIA]. The PRO-CHINA, essens ANTI-INDIA "ENERGY TRIANGLE" IN SOUTH ASIA as per BANGLA + MYANMAR. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-07-26 18:56 |
| #1 India launched its first nuclear powered nuclear attack submarine today. Designated INS Arihant, the launch is the first of the four steps towards making the submarine operational with its sensors and nuclear ballistic missiles by 2011. It was lowered into the waters in the Vishakhapatnam harbour in south-eastern India by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Two more submarines are already under construction towards creating a nuclear triad of surface, air and sea launch capability as part of India's nuclear doctrine towards nuclear deterrence and retaliatory strikes. Two more are planned in the immediate succession. The indigenous construction of the submarine by Indian public and private sector companies marks a quantum jump in India's shipbuilding capability. In about 20 years, India could build a total of 20 nuclear submarines after extensive tests and trials with Arihant. The new vessel will undergo trials in harbour as well as shallow and deep sea as the second step. Then its noise levels will be checked and adjusted for stealth, and finally, sensors and nuclear weapons will be tried and integrated as the final and fourth step. The already tested 700km-K 15 indigenous ballistic missile will be the first to be put on board its 12 launchers. Later, the 3500km KX missile will be integrated. India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has had phenomenal success in its missile programmed over the last two years. The submarine has also been designed by DRDO, and has an 80-watt mini reactor using enriched uranium. |
| Posted by: john frum 2009-07-26 09:42 |