Operation Sankalp expanding from the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea to ensure the safety and the security of shipping from piracy and providing assistance to ships targeted by the Houthis. The Navy’s continued response in addressing piracy, hijacking, and drone attacks on international merchant shipping has reinforced its status as a preferred security partner and first responder.

SSBN stands for nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, a highly specialized military asset used by only a few countries for strategic nuclear deterrence

India’s second indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile capable submarine (SSBN), INS Arighaat, in August 2024. Adding value to the third leg of India’s nuclear triad — and hence nuclear deterrent value and hence nuclear deterrent value — the SSBN mirrors its predecessor, INS Arihant, in size and propulsion

These capabilities were emblematically enhanced by the recent testing of the K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from INS Arighaat, with a range of 3,500 kilometres. While the firing was successful, the results of the test parameters are awaited. Successful tests and the induction of the missile as a composite weapon package of SSBNs would place most of China under striking range.

Project-77 (P-77), giving its final approval to construct two nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) at a cost of ₹40,000 crore. Delivery of the first SSN is scheduled for 2036-37 and the platform is expected to include over 90% indigenous content. The addition of the SSNs would enhance the Navy’s underwater warfare capabilities, which essentially includes providing protection to deployed SSBNs. With the induction of the SSNs, India would become the only non-P5 nation operating SSBNs and SSNs.

Project-75, in collaboration with France, will see the commissioning of the sixth Scorpene boat, INS Vaghsheer soon. The Navy is looking to order three more such boats, which will add the required punch and help fill the void with the decommissioning of older boats. The efficacy of non-nuclear boats has increased with the advent of air independent propulsion (AIP).

Project 75(I), which seeks to induct AIP-enabled boats, involves Spain and Germany as contenders to build such boats, and is expected to reach its logical conclusion when the technical and financial evaluations are completed. In all cases, indigenous content is expected to increase. For example, the follow-on three Scorpene boats are expected to feature 60% indigenous content. In the case of Project 75(I), with the bidders, Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Spain’s Navantia, accepting India’s transfer of technology and indigenous content requirements, the first boat is likely to include a minimum of 45% indigenous content, rising to 60% in the sixth boat.

And finally, domestic development in niche undersea naval technologies is the approval of building 100-tonne Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) at a cost of ₹2,500 crore. UUVs would add to India’s undersea capabilities as a low-cost option with a high return on investment. This project is symbolic of India’s positioning of niche technologies as strategic enablers to address increasingly complex and evolving threats in the maritime space