India’s Nuclear Deterrence Soars: Successful K-4 Missile Test from INS Arighaat; Know all about it
STORIES, ANALYSES, EXPERT VIEWS
In a significant leap towards bolstering India’s nuclear deterrence, the Indian Navy recently conducted a successful test of the K-4 nuclear-capable ballistic missile. Launched from the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat on Nov. 27, this test marks a milestone in the country’s journey to enhance its second-strike capability.
The K-4 missile, with a strike range of 3,500 kilometers, is part of India’s broader strategy to develop a robust nuclear triad, ensuring it can retaliate effectively in the event of a nuclear attack. This successful test underscores India’s growing power on the high seas and its capacity to project nuclear strength far beyond its shores, according to Indian media reports.
The K-4 Missile: A Critical Component of India’s Nuclear Triad
The K-4 missile is a solid-fuelled, nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), designed to provide the Indian Navy with a potent weapon for deterrence. The missile was fired from INS Arighaat, India’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). The successful launch of the K-4 missile adds another layer of strength to India’s nuclear triad, which includes land-based missiles, air-launched nuclear weapons, and submarine-launched platforms.
Submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) like the K-4 are particularly valuable because of their inherent survivability. Unlike land-based missile silos or airborne nuclear platforms, SSBNs can remain submerged for extended periods, making them extremely difficult to detect and destroy. This ensures that India can maintain a credible second-strike capability— the ability to retaliate with devastating force even after suffering a nuclear first strike.
The K-4 missile is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the K-15, which has a shorter range of 750 km. While the K-15 was deployed on INS Arihant, India’s first SSBN, the K-4 adds a longer reach and a more potent deterrence capability. With a range of 3,500 kilometers, the K-4 can strike deep into the adversary’s territory, effectively covering most of India’s regional adversaries, including China and Pakistan, with nuclear-tipped missiles.
INS Arighaat and India’s Growing Nuclear Submarine Fleet
The successful test from INS Arighaat is part of India’s broader effort to expand and modernize its nuclear submarine fleet. Commissioned in August 2024, INS Arighaat is the second SSBN in India’s arsenal and can carry 12 K-15 missiles, 4 K-4 missiles, and 30 torpedoes. It represents a critical step in India’s effort to solidify its nuclear deterrence posture. India is also working on further improving its nuclear deterrent with the INS Aridhaman, which is expected to be inducted next year.
A third submarine, based on the same design as INS Arighaat but with additional capabilities, will be deployed as INS Aridhaman in 2025. These developments are part of the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, which aims to build a fleet of SSBNs capable of carrying missiles with ranges extending beyond 5,000 kilometers. Eventually, these submarines will be equipped with even more powerful missiles, such as the K-5 and K-6, which have strike ranges of up to 6,000 km.
In total, India plans to build a fleet of nuclear-powered SSBNs, which will help India maintain a credible and survivable nuclear deterrent. This emphasis on SSBNs demonstrates the strategic shift towards enhancing India’s capabilities in the underwater domain, as the nuclear-powered submarine is considered one of the most survivable platforms for a nation’s nuclear weapons.
Comparing India’s Nuclear Submarines with China’s Capabilities
While India’s SSBN fleet is growing steadily, it still lags behind that of major global powers such as the United States, Russia, and China. For instance, China’s Jin-class SSBNs can carry JL-3 missiles with ranges of up to 10,000 km, giving China a significant advantage in terms of strike range. Moreover, China has six operational Jin-class SSBNs, along with several nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), making its underwater nuclear capabilities formidable.
In comparison, India’s nuclear submarines are smaller and have shorter ranges. The INS Arihant and INS Arighaat are about half the size of their Chinese counterparts, with a displacement of approximately 6,000 tons. Despite this, India’s emphasis on increasing the number of SSBNs and enhancing their missile ranges shows a strategic commitment to narrowing the gap with China’s maritime nuclear capabilities. The successful test of the K-4 missile on INS Arighaat represents a critical step toward strengthening India’s deterrence against a potentially more powerful Chinese naval force.
Strategic Importance of Submarine-Based Deterrence
India’s focus on enhancing its sea-based deterrence—through the development of SSBNs and SLBMs like the K-4—is a response to the vulnerability of surface vessels and aircraft carriers. Aircraft carriers, which are key assets for many navies, including India’s, are increasingly vulnerable to long-range missile threats from adversaries like China, which has developed anti-ship missiles capable of targeting such vessels.
In this context, SSBNs provide a more survivable platform for launching retaliatory strikes, as they can operate below the surface and avoid detection by enemy forces. The Indian Navy’s emphasis on nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) and SSBNs highlights the country’s strategic focus on maintaining a credible deterrent in the face of increasingly powerful regional threats.
Bottomline
India’s successful test of the K-4 missile from INS Arighaat represents a major milestone in the country’s quest to build a credible and survivable nuclear deterrent. This development strengthens India’s nuclear triad and ensures that its second-strike capability remains robust, even in the face of a nuclear first strike. As India continues to develop more advanced nuclear submarines, the successful integration of the K-4 missile into the Indian Navy’s arsenal is a significant step toward improving India’s strategic deterrence posture, particularly in the face of growing naval challenges from China.
