India has tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile from the newly-inducted submarine Arighaat, according to a report.
The nuclear-powered INS Arighaat was commissioned into the Indian Navy on August 29. It is the second Arihant-class submarine to enter service.
The Times of India has reported that India on Wednesday (November 27) tested K-4 intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) from Arighaat.
There has not been official confirmation of such a test and it is not known if the test was successful.
The K-4 is a nuclear-capable submarine-launched IRBM with a range of around 3,500 kilometres.
The ToI reported that the missile was tested in the Bay of Bengal.
Sources told the newspaper that it was the first time that the missile was tested from a submarine. So far, the newspaper reported, the missile had only been tested from undersea pontoons.
While Arighaat carries K-4 missiles, its predecessor Arihant carries 750-km range K-15 missiles. Two more nuclear-powered submarines of the Arihant-class are currently being built and two more types of K-series missiles with more range are also in development.
The successful testing of IRBM from a submarine would strengthen India’s nuclear triad, referring to the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land, air, and seas as well. Nuclear-powered submarines carrying nuclear weapons are considered to be most potent for nuclear attacks and retaliation. They are also the hardest to detect and destroy whereas land-based launch and storage sites are vulnerable to aerial attacks.
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India tests nuclear-capable ballistic missile from submarine Arighaat: Report
