New Delhi: The changing strategic scenario in Indo-Pacific and the urgency to protect the Indo-Pacific from future domination by the adversary, has made Indian Navy to revisit its 30 year submarine plan. It has
has approached government for approval to make changes in the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) approved 30-year submarine building plan by replacing six conventional attack vessels with nuclear powered platforms.
In July 1999, the 30 year submarine plan was approved by Atal Bihari Vajpayee government for induction of 24 diesel attack submarines. Currently, the Indian Navy has 12 conventional attack submarines plus three new Kalvari class submarines, first of which was commissioned in December 2017. Moreover, India has one Akula class submarine INS Chakra on lease from Russian Federation and one ballistic missile firing submarine INS Arighat. The two are under the Strategic Forces Command.
The navy has sought the Cabinet approval to allow it new submarine force levels of 18 conventional diesel attack submarines including those with air independent propulsion and six nuclear attack submarines or SSNs. This change has been sought keeping in mind the rapid increase of nuclear submarine arsenal by People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
Having the government approval in place for the changes to the 30 year old submarine plan, according to national security planners, will enable the Indian Navy to move the Defence Ministry for acceptance of necessity (AON) before inviting request for proposals from the key allies for joint development and building of the six nuclear powered submarines under the Atmanirbhar Bharat route. As per Indian Navy estimates, the project will take a minimum of 10 years to complete.
According to the national security planners, nuclear attack submarine is a much more potent platform with the capacity to stay below surface for months and only surface for crew change and logistics. The equatorial waters of Indian Ocean make submarines a very potent weapon due to temperature differences on surface and below water.
All the INS Kalvari class submarines will be retrofitted with the indigenously developed AIP technology by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) during upgrades or mid-life refits. With the change in submarine plan getting approved, the Indian Navy will move from diesel submarines to nuclear powered and conventional cruise missile equipped platforms.
