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| India achieves crucial naval milestone, inducts N-sub | | | Agencies
Visakhapatnam, July 26: India on Sunday achieved a historic and crucial naval milestone with the induction of its first indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine 'INS Arihant' as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared that the country has no aggressive designs but has to take all measures to safeguard itself.
In a symbolic launching ceremony, his wife Gursharan Kaur broke a coconut on the hull of the submarine at its secret naval base 'Matsya' dockyard here, taking India into an elite club of nations that have indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarines.
After a brief puja, with the Prime Minister, Defence Minister A K Antony, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy by her side, Kaur unveiled a plaque naming the 112-metre-long submarine.
"I name it INS Arihant (destroyer of the enemy. All the best to the submarine," she said announcing to the world the completion of India's nuclear triad, the capability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles from land, water and sea.
As India has declared no-first-use of nuclear weapons, the country's weapon system must survive a first strike for retaliation. Therefore, Arihant's primary weapon is stealth as it can lurk in ocean depths of half a kilometre or more and fire its missiles from under the sea.
With today's induction, India has made its entry into an elite club of nations comprising the US, Russia, France, the UK and China which possess capabilities to develop nuclear submarine.
"Today, we join a select group of five nations who possess capacity to build a nuclear-powered submarine," noted the Prime Minister, who flew directly from a ceremony marking the tenth anniversary of India's victory in the Kargil conflict.
Code-named Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), Arihant will carry 'Sagarika' (K-15) missile that has a range of 700 kms.
Singh said the sea is increasingly becoming relevant in the context of India's security interest and "we must readjust our military preparedness to this changing environment. Our navy has a huge responsibility in this regard".
Declaring that India has achieved a "historic milestone in the country's defence preparedness", the Prime Minister said, "We do not have any aggressive designs nor do we seek to threaten anyone. We seek an external environment in our region and beyond that is conducive to our peaceful development and protection of our value systems".
The Prime Minister said "nevertheless, it is incumbent upon us to take all measures necessary to safeguard our country and to keep pace with technological advancements worldwide. It has rightly been said that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."
He said the government was fully committed to ensuring the defence of national interests and protection of territorial integrity.
"We will continue to render all support to the constant modernisation of our armed forces and to ensuring that they remain at the cutting edge of technology," he said.
Antony, referring to India's non aggression and no-first-use nuclear policy, said the situation in the region had necessitated the need for a credible second-strike capability.
Mehta said the launch of 'INS Arihant' was the "first visible step towards realisation of the third leg of the nuclear triad. It will help navy to decisively influence events in a wide geographical area and counter all spectrum of conflict".
India has land-based nuclear-capable Agni ballistic missiles, apart from IAF fighters such as Mirage-2000 that can deliver tactical nukes.
Two decades ago, India had operated a Charlie-class nuclear submarine, christened INS Chakra, leased from Russia for three years between 1989 and 1991.
Moscow will again lease out two Akula-class nuclear submarines to New Delhi for 10 years. Plans to deliver the submarines this June were hit by a mishap during sea trials late last year. But hopes have soared for its delivery in 2010 after Russia took out the repaired vessel for sea trials again early this month.
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