India successfully fired a ballistic missile from an Indian-made nuclear-powered submarine on Friday, the Indian Defense Ministry said.
This “nuclear deterrent capability” test conducted by India makes it one of only six countries in the world (along with the US, Russia, China, France and the UK) with nuclear strike and counter-strike capability on land, at sea and in the air.
The ballistic missile test, of a “made in India” submarine, further underscores India’s progress towards manufacturing its own military equipment. The Asian giant is, in fact, one of the world’s largest arms importers, and is still heavily dependent on Moscow, its oldest and largest supplier of military equipment, for decades.
A test to “demonstrate the competence of the crew”
The firing was “important to demonstrate the competence of the crew” and “validate” the nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) programme, “a key component of India’s nuclear deterrent capability,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement. your statement.
“All operational and technological parameters of the weapon system” fired from the INS Arihant submarine in the Bay of Bengal have been exceeded,” it added.
India has waged wars and has longstanding border disputes with its nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and China.
A first Indian aircraft carrier in September
Narendra Modi’s government recently unveiled the first batch of Indian-made attack helicopters, designed for use in high-altitude areas such as the Himalayas, where his troops clashed with Chinese military forces in 2020.
And in September it launched its first “made in India” aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, a milestone in its efforts to counter China’s growing military assertiveness in the region.
The INS Vikrant, which entered service after 17 years of construction and testing, is, at 262 meters, one of the largest warships in the world.
Source: BFM TV
