Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: INS Aridhaman, India’s third indigenously built nuclear-powered submarine, is set to be commissioned soon, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi announced on December 2. Speaking at the annual pre-Navy Day press conference, Admiral Tripathi confirmed that the advanced submarine has entered the final stages of its trials.
Equipped to carry longer-range missiles, INS Aridhaman significantly strengthens India’s sea-based nuclear deterrence by enhancing both strike capability and survivability in line with the country’s nuclear doctrine. Meanwhile, the fourth indigenously built advanced stealth frigate of the Nilgiri Class (Project 17A), ‘Taragiri’, was delivered to the Indian Navy on November 28 at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilding Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
The ship is one of three P17A frigates being built by MDL and marks a significant milestone in the Indian Navy’s indigenous warship construction. Taragiri has been developed as a redesign of the earlier INS Taragiri, which served in the Indian Navy from 1980 to 2013. The new frigate is equipped with stealth technology, high firepower and advanced automation. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Mumbai-based Warship Overseeing Team, the ship is being seen as a symbol of self-reliance in shipbuilding. The P17A class ships feature indigenous ship design, stealth capabilities, and modern combat systems.
It is equipped with the BrahMos SSM, MFSTAR radar, medium-range surface-to-air missile system, and a variety of weapons, including 76 mm, SRGM, 30 mm, and 12.7 mm closein weapon systems. Additionally, the ship is equipped with rockets and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare.
