India launches its first nuclear-powered submarine

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – India launched yesterday its  first nuclear-powered submarine capable of firing ballistic  missiles, completing a nuclear triad encompassing land, air and  sea, officials said.

The submarine, Arihant, the first of two similar submarines  to be built indigenously with technical help from Russia, will  undergo sea trials before its formal induction in 2015, defence  officials said.

The project is part of a $2.9 billion plan to build five  submarines, delayed for years due to technical problems,  officials said. The country already has fighter aircraft and missiles  capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Experts say India is modernising its armed forces and is  focusing on improving its naval fleet with new ships and  submarines to counter the strategic interest of China in the  region..

China is India’s biggest trade partner in Asia. But India,  already wary of China’s growing military might, fears its giant  rival wants to strategically encircle India as Beijing  continues to supply weapons to India’s neighbours, Pakistan and  Sri Lanka.

Last year’s Mumbai attacks in which 10 gunmen arrived by  the sea to kill 166 people also exposed glaring loopholes in  its sea security.

“The sea is increasingly becoming relevant in the context  of India’s security interests and we must re-adjust our  military preparedness to this changing environment,” Prime  Minister Manmohan Singh, said after launching the submarine for  trials.

“We do not have any aggressive designs nor do we seek to  threaten anyone. We seek an external environment … conducive  to our peaceful development and the protection of our value  systems,” Singh said at the southern port city of  Vishakhapatnam.

India has 16 diesel-electric submarines of Russian and  German origin, which are all 25-40 years old, defence officials  said.

The 5,500 tonne nuclear-powered Arihant, when inducted,  will be capable of carrying 100 sailors and a wide range of  torpedoes and ballistic missiles, officials added.