ARHIHANT, India’s 1st Ballistic Missile Nuclear Submarine, Is Fully Operational

With Arihant successfully completing its patrol, India now has a dependable nuclear triad,, capability of firing nuclear weapons from land, air and sea to safeguard  its territorial integrity and independence. INS Arihant, India’s first indigenously built nuclear ballistic missile submarine, has completed its first “deterrence patrol”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today. “I congratulate all those involved, especially the crew of INS Arihant for this accomplishment. Their unprecedented success in securing India’s independence and territorial integrity will always be remembered in our history,” PM Modi said. The 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, under development for three decades under a highly classified programme, comes under the direct control of the Nuclear Command Authority headed by PM Modi. Having successfully completed the “deterrence patrol”, the INS Arihant can now be considered a fully functional underwater ballistic missile delivery platform. The success of INS Arihant gives a fitting response to those who indulge in nuclear blackmail, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the crew of Strategic Strike Nuclear Submarine (SSBN) INS Arihant. The submarine recently returned from its first deterrence patrol, completing the establishment of the country’s survivable nuclear triad. Stressing the significance of the successful deployment of INS Arihant for the completion of India’s nuclear triad, the Prime Minister congratulated the crew and all involved in the achievement which puts India among a handful of countries having the capability to design, construct and operate SSBNs. The successful completion of the deterrence patrol ensures that India will have the necessary second strike capabilities with the country’s nuclear shield now complete. A nuclear response option is only feasible if the country’s nuclear triad- air, land, and sea, is ready for engagement with enemy forces.  A nuclear triad is a three-pronged military force structure that consists of land-launched nuclear missiles, nuclear-missile-armed submarines and strategic aircraft with nuclear bombs and missiles. … This, in turn, ensures a credible threat of a second strike, and thus increases a nation’s nuclear power on land, sea and sky. India has achieved completion of her nuclear triad with the first successful deterrence patrol by INS Arihant. This places India in the league of the few countries that can design, construct and operate Strategic Strike Nuclear Submarines (SSBN).India has achieved completion of her nuclear triad with the first successful deterrence patrol by INS Arihant. This places India in the league of the few countries that can design, construct and operate Strategic Strike Nuclear Submarines (SSBN).”Congratulations to brave Indian sailors on INS Arihant for successfully completing its first deterrence patrol marking the successful realization of the nuclear triad. This is a momentous occasion for India and will go a long way in safeguarding our strategic and security interests,” Union Minister for Home Rajnath Singh said. INS Arihant can fire nuclear weapons from underwater

• Arihant is an important part of India’s no-first-use nuclear policy
• Arihant is part of a top-secret project