India's new submarine base targets China's growing sea power
India is poised to unveil a new state-of-the-art naval base in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, a move seen as reflecting its ambitions to expand its underwater fleet and counter China's expanding influence in the Indian Ocean.
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The base, located near Rambilli village, will serve as a hub for India's warships and nuclear-powered submarines, according to local media, enhancing its ability to project power in an increasingly contested region.
The facility will support India's fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, including the new INS Aridhaman, according to Walter Ladwig, a senior international-relations lecturer at King's College London who specialises in South Asian security.
'It would enhance the [navy's] ability while maintaining operational secrecy for their nuclear submarine fleet, which is crucial for a secure second-strike capability.'
The commissioning of the base at Rambilli coincides with plans to introduce the INS Aridhaman, India's third nuclear-powered submarine equipped with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, later this year. The 7,000-tonne vessel is larger than its predecessors, the INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, which currently form the backbone of India's nuclear deterrent at sea.
It comes against the backdrop of escalating competition between New Delhi and Beijing for strategic influence in the Indian Ocean and broader Indo-Pacific region.
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