NEW DELHI: India is set to commission its third indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridhaman, into the Indian Navy on Friday, news agency ANI reported, marking a major boost to the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.Hinting at the induction, defence minister Rajnath Singh posted on X in Hindi: “It’s not a word, it’s power, ‘Aridhaman’!”INS Aridhaman, part of India’s Arihant-class submarines, is a 7,000-tonne vessel, making it larger and more advanced than its predecessors INS Arihant and INS Arighaat. Built under the Advanced Technology Vessel programme at Visakhapatnam, the submarine represents a key milestone in India’s indigenous defence capabilities. Equipped with an 83 MW Compact Light Water Reactor, the submarine is designed for enhanced stealth and endurance. It features advanced indigenous sonar systems and acoustic suppression technologies, improving its underwater detection and survivability.A major upgrade over earlier platforms is its increased missile capacity. INS Aridhaman is fitted with eight vertical launch system tubes, double that of earlier submarines, allowing it to carry up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles with a range of 750 km or eight K-4 missiles with a range of 3,500 km. It is also expected to support future K-5 missiles with a range of around 6,000 km.With its induction, India will operate three nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines under the Strategic Forces Command. This strengthens the country’s sea-based leg of the nuclear triad and moves it closer to achieving continuous at-sea deterrence, ensuring at least one nuclear submarine remains deployed at all times.The submarine is expected to be based at Project Varsha near Visakhapatnam, a high-security naval facility designed to house India’s nuclear fleet.India is also progressing on additional naval capabilities, including the planned induction of the Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, Chakra III, and negotiations for advanced diesel-electric submarines under Project-75(I).