Third indigenous nuclear submarine 'Aridhaman' in final trial stage, to be commissioned soon: Navy Chief

New Delhi: India’s third ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) 'Aridhaman' is in the final stages of trial and will be commissioned soon, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said here on Tuesday.

In addition, the Indian Navy would get a nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) on lease from a “friendly foreign partner” and was at an “advanced stage” of contract negotiations to build six conventional submarines with air-independent propulsion technology that will allow the boats to have a longer stay under water, Admiral Tripathi said.

The boost in the navy's submarine fleet comes a few months ahead of Pakistan Navy’s planned induction of its Hangor class submarine, which is an export variant of China’s Yuan class boat.

Addressing the annual press conference ahead of the Navy Day, Admiral Tripathi said Indian Navy’s swift force mobilisation and aggressive posturing during Operation Sindoor not only restricted the Pakistan Navy to the coast, but also impacted Islamabad economically as many foreign shipping companies refused to sail to Pakistani ports and trade was down by 10-15%.

Asked about the SSBN, he said, “INS Arighat was commissioned in August last year. Aridhaman is in the final stages of trial and will be commissioned soon. Don’t ask me about the date.”

India’s first ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant was commissioned in 2016 while the next one INS Arighat was inducted eight years later. A fourth SSBN is under construction.

On Project-75I for buying six advanced submarines, he said the negotiations were at an advanced stage and the contract could be signed “very quickly”.

India has been negotiating with Germany for the construction of six conventional submarines with AIP technology at Mazagaon dock with technology transfer from German firm ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

Admiral Tripathi said the second squadron of MH-60R helicopters would be raised in Goa later this month. India ordered 24 MH-60R helicopters from the USA at a cost of over Rs 17,500 crore in 2020 and 15 of them have been delivered so far.

Last week, the Defence Ministry signed a Rs 7,995 crore agreement with the USA for the sustainment support of the MH60R fleet.

On the Rs 64,000 Rafale-M deal that India signed with France earlier this year, the Navy Chief said the first four aircraft were expected by 2029.

The Indian Navy maintained a high operational readiness, including in the Western Arabian Sea, in the last seven-eight months following the hostilities with Pakistan, he said, noting that Operation Sindoor put financial strain on Pakistan as a number of merchant ships avoided travelling to that country following the hostilities, resulting in 10-15% drop in trade.

“However, it was too short a time span to have a meaningful effect. If the operation continued for a longer time, their economy would have suffered more.”