Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that the indigenous ballistic missile nuclear submarine INS Arihant had successfully launched a nuclear capable Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) in the Bay of Bengal with “very high accuracy”.

The Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs)

• The Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), sometimes called the ‘K’ family of missiles, have been indigenously developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). 
• The family is codenamed after Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the centre figure in India’s missile and space programmes who also served as the 11th President of India.
• Because these missiles are to be launched from submarines, they are lighter, more compact and stealthier than their land-based counterparts, the Agni series of missiles which are medium and intercontinental range nuclear capable ballistic assets.
• Part of the K family is the SLBM K-15, which is also called B-05 or Sagarika. It has a range of 750 km. 
• INS Arihant can carry a dozen K-15 missiles on board. 
• India has also developed and successfully tested K-4 missiles from the family, which have a range of 3,500 km.
• It is also reported that more members of K-family reportedly carrying the code names K-5 and K-6, with a range of 5,000 km and 6,000 km respectively are under development.

INS Arihant (the submarine)

• Launched in 2009 and Commissioned in 2016, INS Arihant is India’s first indigenous nuclear powered ballistic missile capable submarine built under the secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, which was initiated in the 1990s.
• INS Arihant and its class of submarines are classified as ‘SSBN ’, which is the hull classification symbol for nuclear powered ballistic missile carrying submarines. 
• In November 2019, after INS Arihant completed its first deterrence patrol, the government announced the establishment of India’s “survivable nuclear triad”.
• The second submarine in the Arihant class, SSBN Arighat, is reported to have been launched in 2017, and said to be undergoing sea trials at present. 
• In addition, India operates 15 conventional diesel electric submarines (classified as SSK), and some more are on the way.

The Strategic Significance

• The successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN programme.
• A robust, survivable and assured retaliatory capability is in keeping with India’s ‘no first use’ commitment.
• These submarines can not only survive a first strike by the adversary, but can also launch a strike in retaliation, thus achieving ‘Credible Nuclear Deterrence’.
• The development of these capabilities is important in the light of India’s relations with China and Pakistan.
• China: The PLA Navy currently operates 6 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and 46 diesel-powered attack submarines (SSs).
• Pakistan: It Navy operates 5 diesel-electric submarines and 3 mini submarines of under 150 tonne displacement.

Arihant stressed on the strategic postures of ‘credible minimum deterrence’ and ‘no first use’ which are pivotal to India’s nuclear doctrine, made public in January 2003.

The key points in the doctrine made public at the time were: 

• Building and maintaining a credible minimum deterrent; 
• A posture of ‘no first use’ denoting that the nuclear weapons will only be used in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian territory or on Indian forces anywhere; 
• Nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be massive and designed to “inflict unacceptable damage”.