India has quietly introduced its fourth locally constructed nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, codenamed S-4*, which can launch nuclear missiles. The first indigenous SSBN was launched in 2009 and commissioned in 2016. The Navy inducted its second, INS Arighaat, on August 29, 2024. The third, INS Aridhaman, is expected to be commissioned in 2025, enabling India’s full second-strike nuclear capability. INS Aridhaman features K-4 missiles with a 3,500 km range.
