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India's newly commissioned nuclear submarine INS Arighat has reportedly successfully tested submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) K-4. The test was conducted on the morning of November 27 in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Visakhapatnam. This 6,000-ton submarine fired K-4 solid-fuel rockets with a range of 3,500 km. According to reports, there was no official announcement on the development, but sources revealed that a 6,000-ton INS Arighat was used to test the K-4 solid-fuel rocket. In recent years, the only platform used to test the K-4 has been an underwater pontoon. Officials said a full review of the test results will show whether the rocket launch was successful and met established test objectives and specifications. A defense official added: “The ballistic missile has been tested across its full range. The details are currently being analyzed and once the analysis is completed, the military and political authorities will be informed of the exact details.”
This is the first test of the K-4 missile from INS Ali Ghat and one of the most ambitious tests of a long-range missile by India in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. The medium-range missile tests, which took place from November 27 to 30 on a 3,490 km flight corridor in the Bay of Bengal, were subject to a General Area Notice and Warning to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by India a few days ago. to On August 29, INS Arighat, the country's second nuclear-tipped ballistic missile submarine (SSBN in naval parlance), was launched. This submarine was commissioned into the Indian Navy in August. Unlike its predecessor Arihant, which carried K-15 missiles with a range of only 750 km, this submarine can carry K-4 missiles. India plans to launch its third SSBN, the 7,000-ton INS Aridaman, early next year. Last month, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the construction of two more nuclear-powered attack submarines to strengthen India's influence in the Indo-Pacific. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed the K-4 missile to equip the country's nuclear submarines. SLBMs with a range of over 5,000 km are currently in use in countries such as the USA, Russia and China.
