After INS Arighaat and its predecessor INS Arihant, India is set to further expand its maritime capabilities with the addition of two more ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). INS Aridaman or S4 and another SSBN with the codename S4(star) are set to be commissioned into the Indian Navy as early as next year, further strengthening India's nuclear triad.
The two upcoming variants have a displacement capacity of 7,000 tonnes, an increase of 1,000 tonnes from both INS Arighaat and INS Arihant, making it possible to integrate more advanced systems and weapons. They will also have eight missile tubes instead of four.
S4 and S4 (star) will have K-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), that have a range of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 kilometers and can carry a payload of up to two tonnes. The K-5, which aims to match the range of the land-based Agni-V missile, is specifically intended to be launched from the S4 class.
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According to media reports, satellite imagery showed both these variants undergoing fitting-out processes at a secret facility.
The addition of these two SSBNs will help boost India's nuclear deterrence posture in the Indo-Pacific region. India is part of an elite club of a few countries—the US, the UK, Russia, China, and India—that possess nuclear-powered submarines and have the nuclear triad.
Earlier, after commissioning INS Arighaat, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the second Arihant-Class submarine would "further strengthen India's nuclear triad, enhance nuclear deterrence, help in establishing strategic balance and peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country".
