SSBN 'INS ARIHANT' - A GAME CHANGER FOR INDIA?

There was a lot of excitement about India having entered the hallowed club of the “triad” with the successful completion of the ‘deterrence patrol’ by India’s indigenously built SSBN (Submersible ship ballistic nuclear) – INS Arihant. In fact it must have taken many by surprise, when the PM Mr Modi announced India’s successful segue into the elite club of ‘Nuclear Triad’.

In the evening a civilian friend of mine, who is in the corporate, gave me a call ostensibly to wish me in advance for Diwali. After the exchange of the standard stock of pleasantries, we got to talk of the hottest topic of the day, the foray of the ‘INS Arihant’ into the exclusive “Triad club’, hitherto fore the exclusive domain of the Great Five, namely, the US, France, UK, Russia and China. Like all patriotic civilians, my friend while acknowledging the need for a strong border, however did not agree with certain nuances that go into securing India’s borders, be it land, sea or air. He was of the opinion that beefing up the economic might of India could naturally sort out all the existential crises that we are facing with our neighbours, i.e. China and Pakistan. He was also of the opinion, as most civilians do, that spending so much on defense is a sheer waste of the nation’s meager resources. While not disagreeing completely with him, this prompted me to think of the various spinoffs that ‘INS Arihant’ had generated for the country and how it would be a ‘game changer’ in the future.

Civil/Corporate Contribution

The ATV project had a strong impact not only on the Indian Navy and the strategic Forces but also had proved to the world of the advanced technological capability of the indigenous Indian industries that had contributed towards the successful completion of the first SSBN in what is known as the ATV (advanced technology vehicle) project. As an ex Naval chief put it, it was a technology demonstrator. The project's pan-India spread, headquartered in New Delhi, hull fabrication facility in Gujarat, missile development in Hyderabad, nuclear reactor in Tamil Nadu and final assembly in Visakhapatnam, is the biggest 'Make in India' industrial ecosystem with nearly 60 per cent of the submarine's components being indigenous. As brought out above, the contribution by the civilian industry in the development of the ATV project was crucial. The submarines are powered by a pressurized water reactor with highly enriched uranium fuel. The miniaturized version of the reactor was designed and built by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam. It included a 42-metre (138 ft) section of the submarine's pressure hull containing the shielding tank with water and the reactor, a control room, as well as an auxiliary control room for monitoring safety parameters. Successful operation of the prototype for three years enabled the production version of the reactor for Arihant. The reactor subsystems were tested at the Machinery Test Center in Visakhapatnam. Facilities for loading and replacing the fuel cores of the naval reactors in berthed submarines were also established. The detailed engineering of the design was implemented at Larsen & Toubro's submarine design centre at their Hazira shipbuilding facility. Tata Power SED built the control systems for the submarine. The steam turbines and associated systems integrated with the reactor were supplied by Walchandnagar Industries. The point to note here is the potential dual use of the technology developed in the ATV Project in the civilian world, for e.g. the development of a miniaturized nuclear reactor can also be used in the country’s remote areas for power generation. The metallurgy developed has the potential for use in various medical and domestic areas to enhance the quality of life of the common man. The communication systems developed has the capacity for use to connect extreme remote areas for communication, for tele- medicine or during disasters.

Safeguarding the nation’s Economic Interest

The country’s economic might is directly proportional to the country’s military might. In order to be an economic super-power, one needs to be a military power to be reckoned with, by protecting our National interests – protection of sea lanes for exporting/importing goods, energy resources, protection of EEZ etc. So how is this done? The majority of maritime trade passes through a handful of global choke points. By strategically positioning our strength, we send a potent message that makes would-be aggressors think twice. A strong Indian Navy duly equipped with assets, such as the SSBNs are potent platforms that can help perform this task. Further, tensions threatening India’s interests can arise anywhere. This is why the Indian Navy needs to make the most of our freedom to deploy globally. The SSBN is a force multiplier that can help achieve this cost effectively and our proximity to unstable and aggressive nations necessitates the possession of this strategic asset which has the power to curb destabilizing behaviour. The possession of SSBNs can also help because when regions become unstable it has a knock-on effect on essential resources. To prevent this from happening the Indian Navy can calm areas like the Gulf, Africa or the islands in IoR, that are essential to the flow of goods and India’s energy supplies. Last but not the least, regional and global trade depends on the cooperation and goodwill of maritime nations, our neighbours and trade partners. A strong Indian Navy presence helps maintain stability by reassuring the powers involved and containing situations before they develop. The development and deployment of the SSBNs which would always be on patrol, ensuring a continuous at sea deterrent, 24/7/365, carrying the nation’s ultimate weapon somewhere in the Seven Seas will have a calming effect in the Indian Ocean Region as well as the sub continent. 

Strategic impact – The Triad

To deter a broad range of threats, our National Security Strategy requires a robust triad of strategic forces. The wisdom of ensuring a complementary strategic triad of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic fighter- bombers, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles has fortunately not escaped our nation’s strategic planners. Each leg of the triad contributes unique attributes that enhance deterrence and reduce risk: Intercontinental ballistic missiles provide prompt response, fighter-bombers provide flexibility, and submarines provide survivability. Together they comprise a robust deterrent that complicates a potential adversary's offensive and defensive planning. The triad is also a synergistic force that provides protection against the failure of any single one of its legs. Our strategic plans provide a wide range of options to ensure our Nation can react appropriately to any provocation, rather than being limited to an "all or nothing" response. Additionally, our forces will be postured such that we will have the capability to respond promptly to any attack, without relying upon "launch on warning" or "launch under attack." The high flexibility, survivability, and diversity of our strategic forces is intended to complicate any adversary's offensive and defensive planning calculations.

Employment of the SSBNs

SSBNs are designed to have two roles: a strategic nuclear offensive (first strike) role, and a nuclear deterrent role. The SSBN provides a nation’s most survivable and enduring strategic nuclear offensive capability. Today, it is one of more survivable legs in the triad of strategic nuclear offensive forces because of extended endurance, quieter propulsion, advanced and secure and constant at-sea communications, radar and long range missile systems. In fact, the most modern of today’s SSBNs armed with a full complement of SLBMs can be deployed for between 70-120 days at sea, remaining submerged, in any single operational mission. Our strategic forces, particularly our strategic submarines, when ready, will be postured to provide an assured response capability to inflict unacceptable damage to a potential enemy.Ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) the world over continues to carry the largest portion of a country’s strategic power. With adroit planning of the deployment of the SSBN force at sea at any one time, it can be the most survivable leg of the triad that can provide India with a powerful, assured, retaliatory capability against any adversary. Submarines at sea are stabilizing; by contrast, submarines in port are more vulnerable and could offer an extremely lucrative target in time of crisis. Thus, in any foreseeable arms control scenario, India must build a large enough SSBN force to enable two-ocean (Indian-Pacific) operations, with sufficient assets to ensure a retaliatory force at sea capable of dissuading any adversary in a crisis.

Conclusion

A nation’s well-being encompasses a host of factors to include human, economic, and military security. The political leadership is vested with the trust by its people to take and make decisions that serve the best interest for the country and its population. India has taken a giant stride towards claiming its rightful place in the world order by entering into the exclusive club of the great five. A nation’s effort to build its military superiority should never be viewed through the narrow prisms of war-mongering. A well thought out defense strategy can help in a nation’s security and can also benefit the domestic economy through job generation as also help in the development of niche technology that can be used for the benefit of upgrading the quality of life of the common man. Further, the ‘Damocles Sword’ of constant fear of an impending attack by an unruly neighbor has been permanently lifted with the “deterrent patrol’ of the formidable SSBN ‘INS ARIHANT’.