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Despite new nuclear submarine, India still lags China in naval strength

The INS Arighaat and its predecessor, the INS Arihant, mark a leap forward for India but analysts say the Chinese navy remains far superior

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The INS Arighaat, India’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. Photo: Handout
India’s recent launch of its second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine may have boosted its deterrence capabilities, but analysts say the country has a long way to go in closing the gap on China’s naval power.
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Unveiled last week in the port city of Visakhapatnam, the domestically developed INS Arighaat is armed with K-15 missiles that boast a striking range of 750km (466 miles). At the launch, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that this new submarine would fortify India’s nuclear deterrence and play a decisive role in national security.

He said the INS Arighaat would join its predecessor, the INS Arihant, in bolstering India’s “nuclear triad” – the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land, sea and air.

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The submarine’s introduction was timely, according to former chief of India’s naval staff Admiral Arun Prakash, amid challenges posed by the country’s two nuclear-armed neighbours: Pakistan and China.

Prakash highlighted the stark contrasts in nuclear policies among these nations.

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