India is making bold moves to counter China’s increasing influence in the Indian Ocean by launching an ambitious plan to build nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs). In October 2024, Reuters reported that India had approved plans to construct two SSNs, an investment estimated at around 450 billion rupees (US$5.4 billion). These submarines are part of a larger vision to construct six such vessels under Project 75, marking a significant development in India’s efforts to safeguard its maritime interests and maintain dominance in the Indian Ocean region.
This decision comes at a time of heightened tensions between India and China, driven by a combination of growing competition for maritime dominance and long-standing territorial disputes. India’s plan for SSNs is not just a military upgrade but a broader geopolitical strategy aimed at bolstering its defense posture and deterring Chinese assertiveness in the Indian Ocean.
Nuclear-powered submarines represent a significant leap forward for India’s naval capabilities, and their advantages over conventional diesel-powered submarines (SSKs) are clear. According to the Reuters report, these new SSNs will be faster, quieter, and capable of remaining submerged for longer periods, making them ideal for extended underwater operations. This technological edge will enable India to project power more effectively and undertake a wider range of operations, from escorting nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to hunting enemy vessels and safeguarding maritime trade routes.
India has a long history of leasing nuclear-powered submarines from Russia, but this new plan marks a critical step toward self-reliance. The construction of these submarines will take place at the government’s shipbuilding facility in Visakhapatnam, with the involvement of India’s construction major, Larsen & Toubro. This reflects India’s broader ambition to boost its domestic arms industry and reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers.
China’s expanding naval footprint is one of the primary drivers behind India’s SSN project. In recent years, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has been rapidly growing in size and capability, with the US Department of Defense’s 2023 China Military Power report stating that the PLAN is now the world’s largest navy, boasting 370 ships and submarines. The report projects that China will have 435 vessels by 2030, which will include a significant number of modern surface combatants and submarines, posing a direct challenge to India’s dominance in the region.
China’s military presence in the Indian Ocean has been growing steadily, with its base in Djibouti and potential access to ports in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Pakistan. The construction of facilities at Gwadar and Hambantota has sparked concerns of encirclement in India, as these bases could allow China to exert significant influence over critical maritime trade routes that pass through the Indian Ocean. Although China faces challenges in projecting power in this region—such as logistical issues and political reluctance from partner countries—it is clear that Beijing’s ambitions in the Indian Ocean are part of a broader strategy to secure its trade interests and challenge India’s influence.
India’s current submarine fleet, comprising mostly aging conventional submarines, is in dire need of modernization. At present, India has 18 operational diesel-electric submarines, most of which are approaching the end of their operational lives. According to Lalit Kapur, a retired Indian Navy officer who wrote on the subject in May 2021, India’s pursuit of SSNs is a response to its need for enhanced maritime deterrence in the face of growing threats from China. Kapur points out that SSNs offer superior speed, endurance, and range compared to SSKs, making them more suitable for both offensive and defensive missions.
However, India’s progress in developing these submarines has been slow. Project 75, the official name for India’s SSN program, received government approval in 2015, but delays caused by bureaucratic hurdles, budget constraints, and technical challenges have left the Indian Navy’s ambitions unfulfilled nearly a decade later. Kapur warns that unless India accelerates the development of its SSNs, it risks falling behind in the race for maritime supremacy in the Indo-Pacific region.
India’s revised 30-year naval plan aims to replace six of its SSKs with indigenously built SSNs, but challenges remain. The country’s dependence on foreign collaboration and limited domestic expertise in submarine technology continue to slow the program’s progress. Despite these obstacles, India’s commitment to building SSNs signals its determination to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the region.
While many of the technical specifications of India’s SSNs remain classified, reports from the Indian Defense Research Wing (IDRW) provide some insight into the project’s scope. IDRW notes that India’s SSNs will displace approximately 6,000 tons and be equipped with advanced targeting systems and versatile arsenals capable of performing a wide range of operations, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, strike missions, and intelligence gathering.
The SSNs will likely feature advanced propulsion systems, including pump jet propulsion technology, which allows submarines to operate more quietly and evade detection more effectively. This propulsion system, which has been pioneered by France, represents a significant improvement over traditional propeller-driven submarines and is expected to give India a crucial advantage in stealth operations.
Moreover, India’s SSN program will benefit from the integration of patrol aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which will enhance the navy’s ability to gather intelligence, conduct surveillance, and carry out precision strikes. The ability to coordinate between submarines, aircraft, and UAVs will greatly improve India’s situational awareness in the Indian Ocean, making it more difficult for adversaries like China to operate undetected in the region.
India’s strategic plans for its nuclear submarine fleet go beyond simply constructing advanced SSNs. Project Varsha, a secretive submarine base under construction on India’s eastern coast near Visakhapatnam, will play a central role in the country’s maritime strategy. Located in the Bay of Bengal, this base will serve as a secure bastion for India’s SSBNs, which carry nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.
The Bay of Bengal offers significant strategic advantages over the Arabian Sea, particularly in the event of a conflict with China or Pakistan. The waters of the Arabian Sea are heavily trafficked and closely monitored by satellites and aircraft, making it more difficult for India’s submarines to operate undetected. In contrast, the relative isolation of the Bay of Bengal provides India with a more secure area to base its nuclear submarines, allowing them to launch missile strikes on enemy targets from a safer and less visible location.
India’s SSNs will likely operate in this region, escorting SSBNs and ensuring their protection during sensitive operations. By securing its SSBNs in the Bay of Bengal, India will bolster its nuclear deterrence against both China and Pakistan, strengthening its overall defense posture in the Indian Ocean.
While India’s plan to build nuclear-powered attack submarines is a bold step toward enhancing its maritime capabilities, several challenges remain. Funding constraints, technical difficulties, and bureaucratic red tape have already delayed the SSN program by nearly a decade. Additionally, while India is moving toward greater self-reliance in defense production, it will still require substantial foreign assistance in key areas such as propulsion technology and weapons systems.
Moreover, India faces a rapidly changing strategic landscape in the Indian Ocean. China’s naval expansion shows no signs of slowing down, and the PLAN’s growing presence in the region threatens to undermine India’s traditional dominance. By the time India’s SSNs are ready for deployment in the 2030s, China will likely have solidified its naval presence, making it more difficult for India to regain the upper hand.
India is also advancing plans for a third aircraft carrier, part of a broader strategy to bolster its naval capabilities and ensure it can maintain continuous maritime security. However, the construction of a new aircraft carrier faces its own set of challenges, including funding issues, technical hurdles, and the need for advanced training facilities.
India’s ambitious plan to build nuclear-powered attack submarines is a critical component of its broader strategy to counter China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean. These submarines will provide India with the capability to project power more effectively, protect its maritime interests, and deter potential adversaries.
As China continues to expand its naval footprint in the Indian Ocean, the stakes for India are higher than ever. The development of SSNs, alongside other initiatives such as Project Varsha and the construction of a third aircraft carrier, will be crucial in ensuring that India remains a dominant naval power in the region.
