India's 3rd nuke submarine likely to enter service near Op Sindoor 1st anniversary

India is set to commission its third indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridhaman, around April–May this year, coinciding with the anniversary period of Operation Sindoor, sources told India Today. The commissioning is expected to significantly strengthen India’s sea-based nuclear deterrence amid heightened focus on strategic readiness.

India Today had first reported in December that the submarine was on track for commissioning in 2026 after Navy Chief Dinesh K Tripathi publicly confirmed progress on the platform. Since then, sources said INS Aridhaman (S4) has entered the final phase of sea trials, with systems validation and weapon integration nearing completion.

Built under the highly classified Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme at the Ship Building Centre, INS Aridhaman is larger and more capable than its predecessors. The submarine displaces around 7,000 tonnes, surpassing INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, both of which displace about 6,000 tonnes.

INS Aridhaman is designed to carry longer-range K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles, enhancing both reach and survivability, key pillars of India’s nuclear doctrine based on credible minimum deterrence and assured second-strike capability.

In December, Navy Chief Dinesh K Tripathi said that INS Aridhaman would be commissioned in 2026, indicating that the platform had crossed major developmental milestones. Sources said timelines are firming up, with commissioning likely in the early summer window, subject to the successful completion of remaining trials.

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