NEW DELHI: India has taken a significant step in enhancing its defense capabilities by approving two major projects: the building of two aboriginal nuclear-propelled vessels, submarines that are, and the acquisition of thirty-one MQ-9B predator drones from the USA. These are to checkmate China’s increasing military incursion, especially in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
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Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines (SSNs)
Project 77 touches Rs 40,000 crore and entails the building of two SSNs at the shipbuilding center in Visakhapatnam. In services starting from 2014, these submarines will feature solid-cone conventional missiles and torpedoes and be equipped with a 190 MW pressurized light-water reactor.
They will be 95% fabricated within India and should see the first model come rolling out in 10-12 years.
SSNs are specially for clandestine missions that enable India to undertake anti-ship and land attacks at a great depth.
The SSN project of India forms part of a bigger plan to design six nuclear strike submarines.
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MQ-9B Predator Drones
The government gave its clearance for the Rs 28,000 crore ($3.3 billion) procurement of 31 MQ-9B drones – 15 Sea Guardians for the Navy and 8 Sky Guardians for both the Army and Air Force.
These are unmanned aerial vehicles with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, not to mention the anti-ship and anti-submarine roles.
These military drones are provided with Hellfire missiles, precision-guided bombs, and high-end sensors and can perform intensive missions over 40 hours at an altitude of more than 40,000 feet.
The MQ-9Bs will also be built in India, where General Atomics already plans the establish a maintenance and repair center and procure 34% of parts domestically.
These developments occurred after India launched its second nuclear submarine power submarine, the INS Arighaat, and is slated to commission its third INS Aridhaman in 2024. Acquainted with the new Strategic perspective, these strategic assets will begin to strengthen India’s defence against the increasingly more threatening maritime and territorial advances by China and Pakistan.
The emergence of these defence projects reflects the Indian point of view of security to enhance the strength of the defence mechanism with an emphasis on ability and friendly countries including American collaboration.
With inputs from agencies
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