(New Delhi) India successfully fired a ballistic missile from an Indian-made nuclear-powered submarine on Friday, India’s defense ministry said.
Posted at 5:55 p.m.
This test of “nuclear deterrence capability” carried out by India makes it one of the six countries in the world (along with the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom) with strike capabilities and nuclear counter-attacks on land, at sea and in the air.
The ballistic missile test, from a “made in India” submarine, further underlines India’s progress towards manufacturing its own military equipment.
The Asian giant is indeed one of the largest arms importers in the world, and it still depends heavily on Moscow, its largest and oldest supplier of military equipment, for decades.
The firing was “important in proving the competence of the crew” and “validating” the nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) program, “a key component of India’s nuclear deterrent capability”, the Ministry of Defense said in its statement.
“All the operational and technological parameters of the weapon system” fired from the INS Arihant submarine in the Bay of Bengal “have been exceeded”, he added.
India has fought wars and has long-standing border disputes with its nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and China.
Narendra Modi’s government recently unveiled the first batch of Indian-made attack helicopters, designed for use in high-altitude areas like the Himalayas, where its troops clashed with Chinese military forces in 2020.
And in September, it launched its first “made in India” aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, a milestone in its efforts to counter China’s growing military assertiveness in the region.
INS Vikrant, which entered service after 17 years of construction and testing, is at 262 meters one of the largest warships in the world.