Indian Navy Regains Nuclear Submarine Capability

The Indian Navy is now again equipped with a nuclear-powered submarine, after a 20-year gap.

According to Indian news reports, an Akula II Class submarine has been leased from Russia for the next ten years. The agreement has a reported price tag of almost $1 billion and sees India reposition itself among the select group of nations with a nuclear submarine capability. Besides Russia, these also include the UK, France, the US and China.

The Indian Navy phased out its last nuclear submarine, also a design of Russian origin, at the start of the 1990s and an indigenous submarine is set to be rolled out by December 2012.

Indian Navy Submarine

For now, though, the India Navy has in service the re-designated INS Chakra II submarine, formerly known as the K-152 Nerpa, and it will be based at Visakhapatnam naval base - one of the largest in India.

The K-152 Nerpa joined the Russian Navy in 2009, after a protracted development phase. Started as far back as 1993, the Nerpa construction project lay dormant for close to ten years as a result of Russia's struggling financial position around this time.

Conclusive performance data for this submarine is scarce but it's said to be somewhere between 108 metres and 111 metres long and to displace 8,140 tonnes of water. On the weapons side, the INS Chakra II will boast Klub-S sea-to-land cruise missiles, with a 300 kilometre range. Extended range missiles won't be carried, in line with the terms of the Missile Technology Control Regime partnership, established in 1987 and now adopted by 34 nations, India included.

Indian Nuclear Capability

Indian's regained naval nuclear capability was highlighted in comments made to the country's media outlets.

"It will be a deadly `hunter-killer' of enemy submarines and warships...[and] also provide effective protection to a fleet at sea", an unnamed source told the Times of India. He added: "It can also provide cover to the nuclear-armed INS Arihant if required. With a dive speed of 30-35 knots, INS Chakra will be able to outrun any current Pakistani or Chinese submarine."

Nuclear-powered submarine, like the INS Chakra II, have exceptional endurance and can carry out prolonged underwater missions only cut short by crew requirements.

Image copyright US Navy