Key Points and Summary – India is leasing Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) as a “cost-effective stopgap” to fill a critical “capability gap” and counter growing threats from China and Pakistan.
-This strategy, which began in the Cold War, allows India to gain “operational experience” and train crews for its own indigenous Arihant-class SSBNs while its domestic submarine program “lacks expertise” and suffers “slow development.”
Akula-Class. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Akula-Class Submarine from Russian Navy. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-The next leased sub, INS Chakra III, is already delayed until at least 2028. This “deep trust” in Moscow highlights India’s complex geopolitical “tightrope,” balancing its security needs with its “pivot to the West.”
India Leasing Akula-Class Submarines From Russia
India leases Akula-class submarines from Russia to fill a capability gap in its nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) fleet, which is crucial for deterring regional rivals, including China and Pakistan.
These leased submarines offer a cost-effective means to gain operational experience, project power, and counter threats in the Indian Ocean, rather than building an indigenous fleet immediately. (India’s own nuclear submarine program is developing.)
The lease also addresses delays in India’s domestic nuclear submarine program, such as to the INS Chakra III.
The Chakra-III is another nuclear attack submarine India is leasing from Russia. The Akula-class vessel arrived in a mothballed state and will require extensive work to be brought back into operation, including the integration of Indian systems and the reactivation of its nuclear reactor.
The original delivery date was 2025, but reports indicate the submarine is expected to be delivered sometime after 2028. The leased ship is meant to provide India with operational experience in manning its own fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
Why Does India Lease From Russia?
India currently lacks a sufficient number of operational SSNs. Leasing Akula-class submarines provides an immediate boost to its underwater combat capabilities, which are vital for anti-submarine warfare.
The submarines are used to train crews for India’s own fleet of ballistic missile-firing submarines (SSBNs). India’s first indigenously built SSBN, the INS Arihant, entered service in 2016. The INS Arighat was launched in 2017.
Russian Akula-Class Submarine X Screenshot Image.
While India aims to develop its own indigenous equipment, it currently lacks the expertise to design and build its own products. Russia’s submarines provide a necessary stopgap while India increases its submarine production.
India – Russian Relations Built During The Cold War:
India’s nuclear submarine program began during the Cold War era, when the Soviet Union emerged as India’s primary defense partner. In 1988, India became the first country to lease a nuclear-powered submarine from another nation when it acquired the Project 670 submarine, K-43, also known as the Charlie SSGN, from the Soviet Union.
Renamed INS Chakra, this submarine was leased for training purposes and was not intended for combat. The Charlie SSGN was the first Soviet submarine to deploy submerged antiship missiles. Like American submarines, and unique among Soviet combat nuclear submarines, the Charlie-class had a single reactor and a single propeller shaft.
All other Soviet submarine classes feature two reactors and two propellers. With only a single reactor (VM-4 type water-cooled), the Charlie-class was limited to a top speed of 24 knots.
India’s nuclear doctrine is based on a No First Use policy and a credible minimum deterrent. A critical component of this deterrent is the nuclear triad,which guarantees the ability to deliver nuclear weapons from land, air, and sea.
While India has developed land-based missiles and air-delivered nuclear weapons, the sea-based leg of the triad has been the most challenging to establish, due to the slow development of its own submarine fleet.
Countering Chinese And Pakistani Moves In the Region
The growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, along with Pakistan’s maritime modernization efforts, necessitate a stronger Indian undersea deterrent. This need has driven New Delhi’s naval strategy. Leased submarines from Russia allow India to monitor adversary activities and maintain strategic influence in the region. They help deter Chinese naval activity, maintain undersea dominance in India’s strategic backyard, and counter Pakistan’s naval modernization efforts, which China supports.
Leasing submarines is a strategic way to bridge the gap while India’s own SSN development continues. Leasing them from Russia provides a cost-effective and flexible solution.
Building nuclear submarines is an expensive and time-consuming process. Leasing is a more affordable and flexible way for India to acquire the necessary technology and maintain its strategic naval strength in the interim.
Walking A Tightrope Between East And West
India has had close relations with the Soviet Union and Russia for decades. But New Delhi is now gradually developing closer ties with Washington, as well as other Western nations.
India’s relationship with the West is complex. While India pursues a “pivot to the West,” focusing on strategic areas such as technology, defense, and trade amid a growing challenge from China, it maintains a non-aligned stance with Russia and other nations, prioritizing its own interests over traditional alliances.
India’s future direction will likely depend on a balance between its competing influences and will try to encourage cooperation without dependence. However, India’s deep trust in Moscow is evident in the leasing of nuclear-powered submarines.
While New Delhi knows U.S. and Western arms are more advanced than Russia’s, it is a big importer of Russian oil, which is a big issue with Washington. India is stuck between two world powers, with another world power threatening its interests in the Indian Ocean.
There is no easy solution for New Delhi.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
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