Hello defence lovers! Submarines have become an integral of navies worldwide. Submarines are becoming a symbol of naval might now more than ever. This article discusses the evolution of the Indian Navy’s submarine program and what it took to induct these fearsome machines into our naval arsenal. Further, a brief outline of the submarines in service with the Indian Navy today is also discussed.
Submarines: A Brief History
There have been attempts to develop submarines as early as the 16th century. However, the foundation of modern submarines, as we know them, was laid during the years 1863 to 1904. This led to the extensive use of submarines during the first world war. The Germans used submarines (referred to as U-boats back then) extensively against their enemies in the first and second world wars. Submarines were also deployed in large numbers by the British, the Japanese, and the Americans. Submarine technology has come a long way since then in the 21st century with advances in stealth, safety, propulsion (pumpjet), and endurance (Air independent propulsion – AIP systems).
Indian Submarines
The British didn’t consider Indians capable enough to operate submarines and refused to supply the Royal Indian Navy with submarines. The leaders of that era didn’t feel the need for a submarine fleet, hence procuring submarines was out of the question for the Indian Navy (after independence),. The government’s focus at that point in time was agriculture, and hence the armed forces were poorly funded. Out of the three forces, the budget of the Indian navy was the least, and they had to make do with a limited budget.
However, the navy was forced to modernize when Pakistan became a part of the CENTO and SEATO treaties and received military assistance from the west. The British were determined to maintain their dominion in the Indian Ocean Region at all costs. Hence the CENTO pact. The navy’s need for submarines was further cemented when they were made aware of the fact that China operated submarines and could operate in the Bay of Bengal.
This led to the proposal to form a submarine arm of the Indian Navy in 1959. However, procuring submarines was a daunting task. This was compounded by the fact that the then government didn’t give the navy its due importance and that the United States and the United Kingdom had blatantly refused to sell submarines to India. This made the navy turn to Russia. The then navy admirals rightly identified that an entire ecosystem would have to be set up to operate submarines efficiently and to their full potential. A training facility would be set up for operational and technical training.
After the Sino-Indian war in 1962, the Indian government scrambled to modernize the Indian armed forces. A petition was submitted for the acquisition of three submarines. The British were approached, but after their blatant refusal, a deal with the Russians was inked in 1965. The Russians were more than ready to sell and accepted a part of the payment in Indian rupees. Thus, a long partnership with the Russians was initiated. A deal for four submarines and other supporting ships was signed in September 1965. The first submarine was commissioned in the Indian Navy in December 1967. The first submarine unit was inducted by the end of 1972.
Decommissioned Submarines
| Class | Submarines | Displacement | Country of Origin | Service |
| Charlie I Class | INS Chakra | 5,000 tonnes | Soviet Union (USSR) | 1987-1991 |
| Akula Class | INS Chakra | 8,140 tonnes | Russia | 2012-2021 |
| Kaveri Class (Foxtrot Class) | INS Kalvari INS Khanderi INS Karanj INS Kursura (Museum) | 2,475 tonnes | Soviet Union (USSR) | 1967 – 1996 1968 – 1989 1969 – 2003 1969 – 2001 |
| Vela Class (Foxtrot Class) | INS Vela INS Vagir INS Vagli INS Vagsheer | 2,475 tonnes | Soviet Union (USSR) | 1973 – 2010 1973 – 2001 1974 – 2010 1974 – 1997 |
| Sindugosh Class (Kilo Class) | INS Sindhurakshak INS Sindhuvir INS Sindhudhvaj | 3,076 tonnes | Soviet Union (USSR) – Russia | 1997 – 2017 1988 – 2020 1987 – 2022 |
Active Submarines
| Class | Submarines | Displacement | Country of Origin | Type |
| Arihant Class | INS Arihant INS Arighat | 6,000 tonnes | India | SSBN |
| Shishumar Class (Type 209 submarine) | INS Shankush INS Shalki INS Shankul | 1,850 tonnes | Germany and India | Attack Submarine |
| Sindugosh Class (Kilo Class) | INS Sindhughosh INS Sindhuraj INS Sindhuratna INS Sindhukesari INS Sindhukirti INS Sindhuvijay INS Sindhurashtra | 3,076 tonnes | Soviet Union (USSR) – Russia | Attack Submarine |
| Kalvari Class | INS Kalvari INS Khanderi INS Karanj INS Vela | 1,775 tonnes | France and India | Attack Submarine |
Submarines Under Construction
| Class | Submarines | Displacement | Country of Origin | Type |
| Arihant Class | S4 and S4* | 7,000 tonnes | India | SSBN |
| Kalvari Class | INS Vagir INS Vagsheer | 1,870 tonnes | France and India | Attack Submarine |
Nuclear Submarines
The United States initiated the development of the first nuclear submarines in the year 1939. The first nuclear submarine was deployed in 1951, and it went on to serve in the second world war. The Soviets soon followed suit and inducted their nuclear submarine in 1958. The Indian navy felt the need for nuclear submarines and leased a Soviet Charlie class submarine in 1987. It was then decommissioned in 1991. The leased Russian Akula class submarine INS Chakra 2, named after its predecessor, was decommissioned in 2021.
Arihant Class
In an effort to complete India’s Nuclear triad, the then Prime Minister sanctioned the development of a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. These were later christened the Arihant class of submarines. These were the first nuclear-powered submarines to be indigenously designed and developed.
| Name | Displacement | Launch | Commissioned | Status |
| INS Arihant | 6,000 tonnes | 2009 | 2016 | In Service |
| INS Arighat | 6,000 tonnes | 2017 | 2022 (Scheduled) | Undergoing Advanced Sea Trials |
| INS Aridhaman (S4) | 7,000 tonnes | 2021 | Estimated 2024 | Fitting Out |
| S4* (Code name) | 7,000 tonnes | —— | Estimated 2025 | Under Construction |
Planned Submarines
| Class | Submarines | Displacement | Country of Origin | Type |
| S5 Class | 3 | 13,500 tonnes | India | SSBN |
| P75 alpha | 6 | 6,000 tonnes | India | Attack Submarine (SSN) |
| Akula Class | 1 | 12,770 tonnes | Russia | Attack Submarine (SSN) |
| P75-I | 6 | unspecified | India | Attack Submarine (Diesel Electric) |
P75I Submarine Project
The P75I submarine project to build 6 SSN’s under a foreign partnership model has been stuck in limbo for many years now. This is mainly due to unrealistic expectations and timelines. Many countries had withdrawn from the tender due to the requirement of a sea-proven AIP (Air Independent Propulsion) system. This led to a single vendor situation, thus further delaying the project. The need for additional attack submarines is paramount, especially because China has been supplying Pakistan with such systems. In order to counter these platforms, we need submarines of our own. Submarines take years to manufacture and test hence it is of utmost importance that we start building these systems as soon as possible.
Submarines v/s Aircraft Carriers
The government prefers the acquisition of submarines over aircraft carriers. Even late CDS Bipin Rawat emphasized the need for submarines in comparison to aircraft carriers. This is because an aircraft carrier is a projection of power, whereas submarines are silent killers. Aircraft carriers are always a part of a carrier battle group and are easy to detect. Hence, they can’t be deployed secretly. However, submarines are stealthy and can be deployed virtually anywhere. With technological advances, submarines have become even harder to detect, making them invaluable assets. These said aircraft carriers are also required to keep the enemy in check. They act as a deterrence policy.
What Next?
It is high time that the government examines the Navy’s requirements and funds them for the same. India operates 16 submarines of all classes compared to the 66 operated by China in 2020. China expects to operate 76 submarines by 2030. Pakistan operates 5 submarines with 8 on order, this is an alarming trend. The navy receives the least budget of the three armed forces and it is high time this changes. Shipbuilding be it ships or submarines, is an expensive process. If Indian interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) must be protected, then steps must be taken in the right direction. Safeguarding India’s maritime interests is of extreme importance for both development and securing the nation at large. Submarines play an important role in this regard and efforts must be taken to fast-track their development and fabrication.
