As India eyes the prospect of more Chinese and Pakistani warships and submarines traversing the Indian Ocean, Delhi is boosting its nuclear-powered submarine fleet.
India is now working on a new class of attack submarines (SSN) after the government approved 400 billion rupees (US$4.8 billion) for the construction of an initial two 6,000-ton boats.
Local media reported that more than 90% of the boats’ content will come from domestic sources, and that an eventual six SSNs in this class are planned for the Indian Navy (IN).
The submarines will help the sea service keep tabs on Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean and monitor strategic waterways like the Malacca Strait, Gulf of Aden and Persian Gulf. China’s naval presence in the Indian Ocean has been gradually increasing, spurred by ongoing Gulf of Aden counter-piracy rotations since 2008.
The SSNs will be armed with torpedoes and BrahMos anti-ship, land-attack missiles, but it will be many years before the first vessel built in Vishakhapatnam enters service.
