India successfully tests nuclear-capable K-4 missile from INS Arighaat: Sources

India successfully conducted a test of the nuclear-capable K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) with a strike range of approximately 3,500 km, defense forces told India Today TV. The missile was launched from the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Visakhapatnam, under the operational control of the Strategic Forces Command.

The Defence Ministry did not release an official statement regarding the test.

This marked the second test of the K-4 missile, following the first launch from INS Arighaat last year, moving the system closer to full operational readiness. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the K-4 is a solid-fuel missile intended to arm India's nuclear-powered submarines, bolstering the country's second-strike capability.

INS Arighaat, commissioned into the Indian Navy in August 2024, is India's latest nuclear-powered submarine, displacing 6,000 tonnes. The vessel has enhanced India's strategic deterrence, carrying K-4 missiles with a range of 3,500 km.

Earlier, the first nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arihant, commissioned in 2016, was equipped with K-15 missiles limited to a 750-km range. Prior K-4 tests had been conducted from submersible pontoons, but the launches from INS Arighaat signify a major step toward operational deployment.

Countries including the US, Russia, and China already deploy SLBMs with ranges exceeding 5,000 km, and India’s K-4 program is seen as a critical component of matching global strategic capabilities.

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