Adding muscle to Indian Navy

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The IndianNavy onWednesday inducted a Russianorigin nuclear submarine, INS Chakra, into its fleet, giving its underwater combat capabilities muchneededmuscle and becoming the sixth navy in the world to operate such a vessel.

TheAkula-II class submarine "K-152 Nerpa", renamed INS Chakra-II, is on a 10-year lease from Russia at a cost of nearly $1 billion. Its induction strengthens our national security and maritime security. It will strengthen the Indian Navy to meet any challenge in maritime
security.

In late February, the 12,000-tonne Chakra vessel set off from snowy Vladivostock and, after a 40-day underwater odyssey past Japan and through the disputed South China Sea, undetected by anyone, it reached the sweltering Visakhapatnamon Saturday. The significance of this addition can be gauged from the fact that, unlike conventional
submarines that need to surface everyday to recharge their batteries, Chakra did not surface even once during its 40-day voyage from Russia.

Russian Ambassador to India AlexanderKadakin termed this as a shining example of the very confidential strategic cooperation between India and Russia.While China enjoysmilitary advantages on the land frontier, India’s ability to choke Chinese shipping at straits like Malacca and Hormuz constitutes a powerful strategic lever.

It is armed with the versatile Russian Klub anti-surface missiles that can strike a ship almost 300 km away. Nothing performs such “sea denial” mission as effectively as a nuclear attack submarine, known by its acronym, the SSN. One great drawback of the conventional submarine is lack of endurance.

Since its diesel engines cannot run underwater for lack of air, it must surface to run its diesel generators and recharge its batteries. A surfaced submarine is a sitting duck, inviting an attack by enemy aircraft, surface ships or submarines.

But a nuclear reactor can run underwater, allowing an SSN to remain submerged for as long as its food supplies last. While a conventional submarine moves slowly underwater, to conserve batteries, the Chakra can sprint for long durations at speeds of up to 33 knots (61km per hour), faster than most surface vessels.

The Chakra’s capabilities are provided by a 190mw nuclear reactor, powerful enough to light up a medium-sized city. INS Chakra could be followed by a second SSN from Russia, for which a proposal has been raised by the Indian Navy. At present, it has 14 conventional submarines in service.

Also under construction are six Scorpene conventional submarines at Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai scheduled to enter service by 2018. According to Defence Minister Antony, seven new warships, including submarines, would enter service this year, while an average of five warships
would be inducted each succeeding year. At a time when the Army and the Defence Ministry are involved in scandals and alarming reports of obsolete equipment, the entry of Chakra is a massive boost to the morale of the Indian Navy.

As peace and stability in the region are crucial to peace in the world at large, it is imperative that the Indian Navy maintains a strong and credible naval presence in the region. Chakra is reputed to be one of the stealthiest and deadliest submarines in the world. Its induction underscores India’s ambition to make a stronger presence in the Indian Ocean region.