India has joined the group of six nations after the successful launch of an SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile). The other six nations are Russia, the UK, France and China and North Korea.
This achievement is significant in the context of India’s strategic profile.
What is the use of underwater deterrent and what progress has been made by India?
A capable underwater deterrent helps a country to get undetectable by the opponent which helps in a retaliatory second strike. This enhances deterrence capabilities.
India successfully tested the 3,500-km range K4 SLBM in January 2020 and it is working to arm Arihant with a 3,500 km missile and this would be deemed to be an IRBM (intermediate-range ballistic missile).
What more is required?
The next stage for India would be to arm itself with SSBN. These are missile, whose range is in excess of 5,000 km which would be an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile).
An SSBN (a nuclear-propelled submarine armed with a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile) should have zero error probability and it can be trusted of hitting the desired target.
This stage is important and a key element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability. However, acquiring the desired level of holistic SLBM proficiency is a long journey.
China holds a great example of its journey as it became nuclear weapon capable in 1964 and carried out its first SLBM test in 1982 but it was able to test a 9,000 km missile in 2018. Further, a fully armed Chinese SSBN would be deemed to be operational to undertake a credible deterrence patrol is scheduled for mid-2025.
India required nuclear deterrence capabilities, due to the strategic and security challenges it faces.
India is making progress but it is still way behind the required capabilities needed in maritime. For example, it has an indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier (INS Vikrant) but it is handicapped by not having the appropriate fighter aircraft and an SSBN with ICBM capability.
Therefore, India needs to increase its capabilities in the maritime power as the current geopolitical scenario shows that there is an increasing threat from China.