Nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant test fires ballistic missile

New Delhi, Oct 14: INS Arihant, India's strategic strike submarine carried out successful launch of a ballistic missile on Friday, the defence ministry said.

The missile was tested to a predetermined range and it impacted the target area in the Bay of Bengal with high accuracy, validating all operational and technological parameters, it said.

"The successful user training launch of the SLBM (submarine launched ballistic missile) by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN programme, a key element of India's nuclear deterrence capability," the ministry said.

"A robust, survivable and assured retaliatory capability is in keeping with India's policy to have 'credible minimum deterrence' that underpins its 'No First Use' commitment," it said in a statement.

Launched in 2010, the Arihant is the first of a series of five indigenously constructed ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). The Indian SSBN is meant to form the third and most survivable leg of a troika of land, air and sea-based platforms enunciated by the Indian nuclear doctrine.

The underwater warship is capable of carrying 12 K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missiles having a range of over 700 km.

It can dive to 300 metres and is powered with a 83 MW nuclear power reactor. SSBNs are usually bigger in size and are powered by a nuclear reactor, as a result they can remain submerged for months without having to surface. This allows them to travel farther and with greater stealth.

To have such an ability is considered vital in nuclear deterrence, as otherwise, the other side might attempt to try to win a nuclear war in one massive first strike against its opponent's own nuclear forces.

India is the 6th country in the world to have nuclear-powered submarines armed with ballistic missiles after the US, Russia, the UK, France and China.