By Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Special Forces
by Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Special Forces
India is a full fledged nuclear power to boot. However some members of the Nuclear club, Nuclear Supplier Group and even some Indian defence analysts probably do not like this fact. Therefore India had no option but to tell the world loud and clear that it has created a full fledged Triad and is moving forward with speed towards consolidation.
In line with the above, Prime Minister Modi welcomed the crew of the first ever nuclear deterrent patrol undertaken by the Indian Navy. What is worth noticing that every one had remained clue less as to when the Patrol had proceeded and its duration. Only now, all those interested may try and reconstruct things from the date a news had been published regarding flooding of a nuclear submarine due to negligence !! Though a few Arm Chair experts have been quick to pontificate with a smirk that Indian Navy has carried out its version of the 2016 ‘surgical strikes’ by launching a mission that is more political than military.
These experts are tirelessly stating that the first ever Indian Navy deterrent patrol under taken by nuclear submarine Pennant No. SSBN-80 the INS Arihant – does not qualify as credible sea-based deterrence. Next they are also blaming both the Govt and the Navy and trying to convince all who may lend a ear that this patrol has given Pakistan reason to heighten tensions by seeking to undo the perceived strategic imbalance at sea. China, by holding India responsible, would likely be upfront in supporting Pakistan in its strategic endeavour. As if these two adversaries will not do any thing unless provoked by India. Also with respect to Pakistan it will be a wonderful thing in case Pakis get provoked and try to obtain and operate a few SSBNs. They will be then left without even a begging bowl.
Right after the nuclear tests in 1998, so many in the West and in India had cast aspersions on the very authenticity of the test itself especially with respect to the yield and the use of fusion device etc. Similarly, now such Honourable Experts are questioning the very fact of ARIHANT’S outing as a Deterrence Patrol. These experts are wanting that some how Indian Navy should release various sensitive details like whether ARIHANT was carrying just K-15, SLBM s or was it also armed with any K4/K5. The K15 has a range of 700 km only ( that means it must have been deployed somewhere in the Arabian Sea ), whereas the other missiles will be able to hit targets at 3500 to 5000km. Of all things they also want the Navy to broadcast the Command and Control procedure and the process of chain of Command from the CCS / PM to Chairman Chief of Staff Committee to C in C Strategic Forces to the Captain of ARIHANT. One particular chap seems to be hell bent on somehow inserting the National Security Advisor also into the Military chain of Command. As per these people ARIHANT had proceeded on a patrol without any missiles on board and hence it was not a deterrent patrol. Their claim is supposedly based because no one has observed any series or salvo firing of K15 or K5 missiles from ARIHANT. For them there has been nothing to suggest that, let alone a series, not even a single test-firing of K-15s has been ever done from the SSBN-80 at sea. It is such a sad thing for them that till date no American or Chinese satellite has detected any shore based infrastructure for loading of missiles into SSBNs at either Vizag or Karwar or anywhere else.
Such people also just cannot digest the fact the Cabinet Committee Security that is the THE GOVT has placed full faith in the Indian Navy in general and the Captain and the Executive Officer of INS ARIHANT in particular and handed over up to 12 fully armed SLBMs to them and their crew for operations, if God forbid, ever required. These self styled Experts are either still living in the old world when India’s nuclear deterrence was completely in a de-mated state. The launchers were under the control of a fledgling Strategic Force Command and the nukes with BARC. Friends, no details are going to be released but it is sufficient to say that now it is November 2018.
In the foreseeable India will be having three SSBNs based at Vizag, ensuring that one of them is on permanent deployment. These SSBNs will be armed with SLBM with 5000 km range. Next aim will be to base another three SSBNs at Karwar. By this time there will be SLBMs with 10000 km range. Ultimate aim will be to have 3x SSBNs also with Southern Naval Command and 3 with A& N Command. The SLBMs will now be having range of full ICBM matching those of Beijing, Moscow and Washington.
Well done Indian Navy, do not get bothered by the Naysayers, just bash on regardless.
