India to launch indigenous n-submarine by 146;09: Navy Chief

India is set to launch its first indigenous nuclear submarine by 2009 as part of its nuclear triad for minimum credible deterrence...

India is set to launch its first indigenous nuclear submarine by 2009 as part of its nuclear triad for minimum credible deterrence, Navy Chief Sureesh Mehta said. India will also lease a nuclear powered Akula class submarine from Russia within the next two years to train its personnel on nuclear platforms, the Chief said, speaking to the media ahead of the Navy Day celebrations.

8220;The ATV Advance Technology Vessel is a DRDO project and is somewhere near completion. We may see it in the waters in two years time,8221; Mehta said. He added that the ATV will be a 8216;technology demonstrator8217; that would form the platform for an indigenous nuclear powered submarine fleet.

In perhaps the first official confirmation of the secretive project, Mehta said possessing nuclear submarine technology would complete India8217;s strategic triad by placing nuclear weapons under the sea. Land based missiles and air launched bombs are the two other nuclear delivery options that India has.

Given India8217;s stated policy of no first use of nuclear weapons, military experts insist that submarine launched nuclear weapons are imperative for a credible 8216;second strike8217; option primarily due to the ease with which they can be concealed and deployed.

China, incidentally, has started mass producing its second generation of nuclear submarines. India has a lot of catching up to do as the new 8216;Shang8217; and 8216;Jin8217; class submarines 8211; details of which emerged earlier this year 8211; are a big leap ahead of their older and noisier Hans class submarines.

However, before India gets its own nuclear submarine fleet, the navy will train its personnel on the Russian Akula sub. 8220;We have not been operating on a nuclear platform and had taken the 8216;Chakra8217; on lease from Russia earlier. Now we want one more Akula sub to train our boys on how to operate a nuclear platform,8221; Mehta said.

The Navy chief also added that India is looking at having two operation carrier battle groups 8211; one in the Eastern Fleet and the other on the Western Coast 8211; by 2015. While the Navy is likely to have two aircraft carriers by 2011-12 if the Admiral Gorshkov is delivered as per the new schedule, India is planning to once again increase the life of the INS Viraat by operating it for 8216;8-10 more years8217;.

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The indigenous aircraft carrier currently being built at the Kochi shipyard is also likely to join the fleet by 2012, Mehta said.