In response to the growing threat posed by the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and in order to protect its Nuclear Triad assets, the Indian government launched “Project Varsha,” which aims to construct underground shelters and bases to protect and conceal the nuclear-powered submarines being built in Indian shipyards. The initial phase of the building of India’s first submarine facility, which will house its nuclear ballistic missile submarines, is approaching completion. This new naval station, known as “Project Varsha,” will house the Indian Navy’s new generation of nuclear submarines and cruisers.
INS Varsha – India’s Secret Nuclear Submarine Base
The base is located in Rambilli, about 50 kilometers south of Visakhapatnam, and will have concrete pens carved out of the hills. The project is expected to cost around Rs 30,000 crores. India presently has two Arihant-class ballistic missile submarines, as well as two additional extended S4-class submarines that are being outfitted at outside dry docks but are operating out of Cochin port, which does not have permanent submarine housing facilities.
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INS Varsha would help to relieve congestion at the Visakhapatnam Port, which is used by both the Navy and the civilian Ministry of Shipping. Due to the rapid expansion of the Eastern fleet, which rose from 15 large warships in 2006 to 46 in 2012 and is still growing, the navy’s dockyards at Vizag are running out of berthing capacity. Varsha would have a big nearby Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) facility with sophisticated nuclear engineering support facilities and significant staff accommodation.
It is intended to supplement the Indian Navy’s fleet of 8-12 nuclear-powered ballistic missiles and assault submarines. It will also include underwater enclosures to protect the submarines from enemy air strikes and hide them from spy satellites. The navy is seeking international technical support for the base’s nuclear safety features. Despite being constructed primarily to host nuclear submarines, the new base can accommodate additional naval vessels due to the Indian Navy’s expansion.
This facility has been compared to the Chinese PLA Navy’s top-secret Hainan nuclear submarine station. The Indian Navy began its east coast base construction initiative in response to India’s Look East policy and Chinese naval expansion into the region.
Significance of INS Varsha
Nuclear submarines are one of the most significant assets in a country’s navy, and keeping their whereabouts secret is critical. The spy satellites, the enemy’s eyes in the sky, pose the most serious risks. These satellites monitor every movement in the ports. A nuclear submarine can spend months submerged in the ocean. It is nearly impossible to detect and track a nuclear submarine traveling quietly 200 meters below sea level. However, when these submarines leave or return to port, hostile spy satellites may easily identify them. As a result, the anonymity of nuclear submarine deployment may be jeopardized.
It may offer the enemy information on the exact type and quantity of submarines in operation, which may give an idea of the defense preparations that are being made. No government will want such material disclosed in a warlike circumstance. In such cases, the whereabouts of SSBNs such as INS Arihant and INS Arighat must be kept secret. This is when underground naval bases come into play.
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