In a recent interview with Gaurav Arya, former Indian Navy officer Rear Admiral K Raja Menon (Retd) highlighted the urgent need to expand the country’s fleet of nuclear attack submarines. According to Menon, India should have a total of 16 nuclear submarines equipped with long-range cruise missiles by 2047 to counter the growing threats in the region. This information was published by the Indian Defence Portal IDRW,
The veteran emphasised the strategic importance of these submarines, especially in the context of growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific, with emphasis on the dispute in the South China Sea. Menon argued that at least four of these submarines would be needed for effective operations in that region, while others could be assigned to patrol other parts of the Indian Ocean.
The Indian Navy’s plans are already ambitious, with the first nuclear attack submarine expected to enter service around 2033-34. However, Rear Admiral Menon suggested that the timelines need to be accelerated so that India is prepared for upcoming security challenges.
Menon emphasised that a strong fleet of nuclear submarines is essential to ensure India’s maritime security and power projection capabilities. The presence of such submarines in the strategic waters will be a decisive factor in maintaining the balance of forces in the region.
The growing importance of the Indo-Pacific in global geopolitics means that India seeks to consolidate its position as a major naval power, and expanding the nuclear submarine fleet will be one of the pillars of this long-term defence strategy.
