India’s Nuclear Triad Gets Stronger; INS Aridhaman Joins Navy With INS Taragiri

India on Friday marked a major milestone in strengthening its maritime deterrence capabilities as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned two significant platforms into the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam. It was the indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Aridhaman and the stealth frigate INS Taragiri.

INS Aridhaman has entered service as India’s third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) under the country’s ambitious Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project in Visakhapatnam. It joins the Arihant-class fleet after INS Arihant, commissioned in 2016, and INS Arighaat, which was inducted in August 2024.

The submarine is understood to be a more advanced version of its predecessors, with a greater ability to carry submarine-launched ballistic missiles, though its detailed technical specifications remain classified. Its induction significantly strengthens the sea-based arm of India’s nuclear triad, which allows the country to deliver nuclear weapons from land, air, and sea. Defence strategists consider the maritime leg the most survivable component of the triad, making it central to India’s second-strike capability under its No First Use nuclear doctrine.