India’s Ambitious Secret Submarine Base Taking Shape in the Bay of Bengal, As India is rapidly advancing its ambitious Project Varsha, a vast 1,680-acre naval base on the eastern coast at Rambilli, according to recent reports from Asia Times. New satellite images reveal swift progress, indicating that the project is on schedule for completion within its projected timeline.
Project Varsha is poised to become a cornerstone of India’s strategic naval capabilities, designed to accommodate a fleet of over 12 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). The base’s most remarkable feature is its extensive underground complex, visible in satellite imagery, which appears to include tunnels intended as submarine pens.
This underground facility is expected to provide a secure sanctuary for India’s SSBNs, shielding them from aerial surveillance and attacks while offering crucial support for nuclear engineering. Above ground, the construction of piers suggests the base will also support various surface vessels, enhancing its operational versatility.
Strategically located, Project Varsha positions the Indian Navy closer to key Indo-Pacific shipping lanes, enabling rapid response to regional threats and facilitating collaboration with the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC), India’s nuclear research hub. The base aims to significantly bolster India’s naval deterrence by ensuring the deployment of nuclear-armed submarines from a secure location, underscoring India’s commitment to maintaining a dominant presence in the Indian Ocean region. India currently operates one SSBN, the INS Arihant, which is armed with 12 K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with a range of 700 kilometers. The country plans to commission its second SSBN, the INS Arighat, which could carry up to 24 K-15 SLBMs or 8 K-4 SLBMs, the latter having a range of 3,500 kilometers. The completion of the S4 SSBN is anticipated this year, with sea trials to follow. The fourth SSBN, likely based on the S4 design, is expected to incorporate various improvements.
However, as Yogesh Joshi highlighted in a 2019 War on The Rocks article, India’s sea-based nuclear deterrent might lack credibility against Pakistan and China unless it deploys SLBMs with
intercontinental range. Complementing this view, Hans Kristensen and Matt Korda noted in a 2022 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists article that the K-15 SLBM’s limited range would restrict its targets to southern Pakistan, and India’s SSBNs would need to traverse the Malacca Strait to target China effectively. Nonetheless, India is developing the K-5 SLBM, which promises a range of 5,000 kilometers, although details of this project remain highly classified.
India faces a dual nuclear threat from Pakistan and China, with the latter strengthening its defense cooperation with Pakistan. In May 2024, Asia Times reported that Pakistan launched its first China-built Hangor-class submarine, an export variant of the Type 039B Yuan-class SSK. This follows a 2015 agreement for eight submarines, with four built in China and the rest in Pakistan. If equipped with nuclear-tipped Babur-3 submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs), Pakistan’s Hangor-class submarines could significantly enhance its deep-strike capability.
Pakistan’s potential use of sea-based tactical nuclear weapons aims to counter India’s conventional military advantage while maintaining a credible second-strike capability. China’s role in supporting Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions is complex, as it risks nuclear proliferation concerns, evidenced by past leaks of Chinese designs to other nations via Pakistan’s A.Q. Khan network. Project Varsha, according to Iskander Rehman in a 2015 Carnegie Endowment report, will allow India to use the Bay of Bengal as an SSBN bastion against Pakistan and China, with the deep waters providing better cover than the crowded Arabian Sea. This strategic submarine base will enable India’s SSBNs to deploy undetected, supported by surface assets including India’s upcoming third aircraft carrier.
China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean, including the deployment of three spy ships to map the region, highlights the strategic competition. These ships, such as the Xiang Yang Hong 01, are capable of deep-sea operations, potentially aiding future submarine deployments.
As China seeks to secure the South China Sea as a bastion for its SSBNs, India’s increasing naval presence in the region signals its intent to counterbalance Chinese maritime activities. Last month, Newsweek reported an operational deployment of three Indian warships to Southeast Asia, reinforcing India’s strategic outreach and naval capabilities.
Also Read:
Indian Navy set to Finalize Rafale M Fighter Jet Agreement with France
INDIA Bloc will select PM within 48 hours
Kejriwal seeks Centre’s help as citizens endure a severe water crisis
An Indian Air Force team has reached Alaska for the multinational exercise Red Flag 24
