In the annals of naval history, few events serve as a more stark reminder of the importance of operational vigilance than the incident involving India’s first ballistic missile submarine, INS Arihant. The case of the INS Arihant, India’s indigenous nuclear deterrent and a linchpin in the nation’s strategic arsenal, stands as a significant event—a cautionary tale that unfolded in the not-so-distant 2017 when the sophisticated vessel was compromised not by enemy action or mechanical failure, but by human oversight.
According to credible reports, including an initial article by The Hindu, a hatch on the rear side of the INS Arihant was inadvertently left open while the submarine was at the harbor, leading to a calamitous flooding of the propulsion compartment—an error as ordinary as it was consequential. The corrosive nature of the seawater that inundated the submarine’s innards necessitated that pipes, particularly those integral to the cooling of the submarine’s nuclear reactor, be replaced. This led to the submarine being sidelined for an extensive period, nearly ten months, as repairs were conducted.
The 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, the product of a $2.9 billion investment and over a decade of development, is more than a mere vessel; it represents a strategic deterrence policy, wherein ballistic missile submarines are vital for a second-strike capability in the event of an unexpected nuclear attack. This incident, therefore, wasn’t merely a maintenance error; it had implications for national security, as it temporarily derailed the operational availability of a critical component of India’s nuclear triad.
Contrary to some reports that sensationalized the incident—some of which appeared to be unsubstantiated clickbait—the INS Arihant was not lost, and certainly not sunk. The Hindu’s report—dating back to January 8, 2018—did not claim that the submarine was lost, only that it had to undergo repairs. It was, indeed, a significant setback for the Indian Navy, but the vessel was far from being a total loss.
The importance of this submarine to India’s national security is underscored by its capabilities: designed to carry a payload of twelve K-15 short-range nuclear missiles or four K-4 intermediate-range nuclear missiles, the INS Arihant is a cornerstone of India’s “No First Use” policy on nuclear weapons. As part of its Continuous At Sea Deterrence, India’s strategy, like that of other nuclear powers, is to maintain a persistent undersea nuclear presence.
The scale of the Arihant’s capabilities makes the mishap all the more astonishing. Questions abound as to how such an oversight could occur, particularly in a vessel that is the pride of the Indian Navy, manned by what one would assume to be the best and brightest of India’s submariners. This incident highlights not just the potential for human error in even the most critical and sensitive of operations, but also the imperative for constant vigilance and rigorous procedural adherence in the field of submarine warfare.
In reviewing the incident, it is important to note the subsequent achievements of the INS Arihant, which include the completion of its first deterrence patrol in November 2018. This was a notable accomplishment in India’s defense history, contributing to the establishment of the country’s survivable nuclear triad—an achievement lauded by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.
Relevant articles:
– Did the Indian Navy lose a US$3 billion submarine because it left a port hatch open?, Black Dot Research
– Did the Indian Navy lose a US$3 billion submarine because it left a port hatch open?, Black Dot Research
– Kursk submarine disaster | Russian Navy, Nuclear Accident & Loss of Life, britannica.com
– Someone Left a Hatch Open and Crippled India’s $2.9 Billion Submarine, Popular Mechanics