India launches fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
New Delhi: As diplomatic tensions with Canada simmer, India has discreetly strengthened its maritime defense by launching its fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) at the Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam. The new submarine, codenamed S4, was launched on October 16, bolstering India’s nuclear deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Very Low Frequency Naval Station in Telangana just a day earlier, which will enhance command, control, and communication with India’s strategic naval assets.
This new SSBN is a significant upgrade, carrying 3,500 km-range K-4 ballistic missiles with vertical launch capabilities. It reflects India’s growing focus on indigenous defense manufacturing, with nearly 75% of the submarine’s components sourced domestically. Unlike the earlier INS Arihant, which carries K-15 missiles with a 750 km range, all successors—including the newly launched S4—are designed to deploy only the longer-range K-4 missiles.
The SSBNs, with virtually unlimited endurance constrained only by food supplies and crew fatigue, serve as a key element of India’s second-strike capability. Both INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, the first two in the series, are already on deep-sea patrols. The third SSBN, INS Aridhaman, is set to be commissioned next year, while a Russian Akula-class nuclear attack submarine will join the fleet on lease by 2028.
India's focus on enhancing its submarine-based deterrence reflects a strategic shift, especially against adversaries like China. With long-range Chinese missiles such as the Dong Feng-21 and Dong Feng-26 posing a threat to aircraft carriers, the Modi government has prioritized nuclear attack submarines and ballistic missile platforms over the construction of a third aircraft carrier.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) also recently approved the construction of two nuclear-powered attack submarines to reinforce India’s presence in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, the Indian Navy is boosting its conventional fleet, with the sixth Kalvari-class submarine, INS Vagsheer, set to be commissioned in December. Plans are also underway to build three more advanced diesel attack submarines in partnership with the French Naval Group.
Given the presence of 10-11 Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean every month and with China’s carrier-based patrols expected to increase by 2025-26, India’s strategic submarines are poised to play a critical role in securing its interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
