India's New Submarine Launched Cruise Missile Heats Up Regional Arms Race :Media

Defense News ,India :- India is on the brink of testing a submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM), showcasing a crucial advancement in its naval capabilities and strategic posture. This move holds significance in the context of India's relations with Pakistan and its growing competition with China in the Indian Ocean. The upcoming test, though preannounced, may contribute to easing tensions with Pakistan.

Scheduled for March, the test involves a 500-kilometer range SLCM developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). This missile is expected to be integrated into indigenously manufactured conventional submarines (SSK) as part of Project-75 India, also known as the Kalvari-class SSK. India plans to have a total of nine Kalvari-class submarines, contributing to its naval modernization.

Project-75 India's SLCM comes in two variants: the Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) and the Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM). Both variants incorporate advanced technologies like thrust vector control, in-flight wing deployment, and in-flight engine start. Following thorough testing and induction into the Indian military, there are plans to offer the SLCM to friendly nations.

The capabilities of the SLCM are comparable to the Nirbhay ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM), featuring a 450-kilogram payload and an 800-1,000-kilometer range. The Nirbhay, equipped with a solid fuel booster motor and a turbojet engine, can carry various warheads and boasts an inertial navigation system (INS)/GPS receiver for guidance.

India has also explored the submarine-launched version of its BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. The BrahMos SLCM was successfully launched from a submerged platform, demonstrating its versatility and effectiveness. The integration of subsonic Nirbhay and supersonic BrahMos missiles provides commanders with diverse options during potential conflicts, optimizing resources based on the nature of the target.

In addition to land-based missile systems, the introduction of SLCMs enhances India's sea-based capabilities. This diversification is crucial for maintaining precision long-range strike capabilities, with SLCMs potentially serving as the first salvo in a conflict, targeting rear facilities such as command and control posts, logistics hubs, airfields, and communication nodes.

India's missile arsenal plays a vital role in supporting its nuclear deterrent against regional rivals Pakistan and China. With advancements in missile delivery systems by both Pakistan and China, India seeks to diversify its delivery systems, increasing their survivability. The successful integration of SLCMs onto submarines will strengthen India's naval deterrence and power projection capabilities significantly.

The deployment of SLCM-armed Kalvari-class submarines complements India's sea-based nuclear deterrent, represented by the nuclear-powered Arihant ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). While India currently has two Arihant SSBNs, plans include four units armed with the K-15 or K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). The K-15 SLBM, with a range of 740 kilometers, is seen as an interim solution, with the upcoming K-4 expected to have a range of 3,500 kilometers.

SLCMs offer India a sea-based delivery system for tactical nuclear weapons, aligning with its strategic-level second-strike capability rather than tactical battlefield use. However, the introduction of SLCMs may trigger a missile race between India and its longtime adversary, Pakistan, as both nations strive to modernize their naval capabilities.

The geopolitical dynamics surrounding India's SLCM test underscore the need for confidence-building measures (CBMs), direct communication hotlines, and shared norms between nuclear-armed rivals. While positive norms have been developed for ballistic missile tests, cruise missiles lack similar oversight. The absence of specific agreements for cruise missiles raises concerns about the potential nuclear capability of these strategic assets.

India's announcement of the upcoming SLCM test reflects progress in the realm of transparency, but whether Pakistan reciprocates to lower regional tensions remains uncertain. As both nations increase their inventories of long-range and short-range missile systems, the importance of addressing complex security dilemmas and promoting open communication becomes increasingly critical.