The Indian Navy has inducted INS Arighat, its second indigenously built nuclear submarine. This development comes after the first version, INS Arihant, reportedly suffered a major accident due to technical issues, which led to its decommissioning.
INS Arighat is an updated version of the Arihant-class submarine. The previous submarine encountered significant problems when it was completely flooded with seawater, raising questions about the new vessel's potential performance and reliability.
The Indian Navy has faced numerous operational challenges in recent years. Over the past decade, more than 15 major accidents and operational failures have been reported. Notable incidents within a three-year span involved INS Ranvijay, INS Ranvir, and INS Brahmaputra, a Brahmaputra-class guided-missile frigate.
These recurring incidents have led to scrutiny of India's technical capabilities in developing and maintaining nuclear submarines. Critics argue that significant investments in such projects are questionable, given that an estimated 140 million people in India live below the poverty line.
The induction of INS Arighat occurs against this backdrop of technical concerns and debates over resource allocation in India's defense sector.
