Deterrence from Depth: SSBNs in India’s Nuclear Strategy

Anubhav Shankar Goswami

India has just commissioned its second SSBN, INS Arighaat. Its first SSBN, INS Arihant, has been operational for almost a decade now. Two more boats of the Arihant class are at various stages of construction. This burgeoning capability will together form the ultimate guarantor of India’s nuclear deterrence. The credibility and ‘invulnerability’ of the boats, therefore, is a sine quo non. In this context, the book tries to determine the best deployment strategy that India can consider to make its SSBNs more survivable. The primary SSBN deployment strategy is the open-ocean patrol. An alternative to that is the bastion strategy where SSBNs operate in secure home waters. Both strategies could be operationalised with at least one submarine continuously on patrol to enhance the credibility of undersea retaliatory capability. Either of the two strategies have fair share of benefits and downsides, and therefore, the book examines the US, Russia, UK, France and China’s experience with bastions and open-ocean patrol. Based on their experience, the book attempts to recommend policy options for India’s silent guardians without overlooking India’s unique nuclear doctrine, security threat and geography.

Anubhav Shankar Goswami is a defence and foreign policy analyst, having demonstrated research experience focussing on nuclear issues, including nuclear brinkmanship, nuclear terrorism, non-proliferation and nuclear weapons in popular culture. This book is a part of projects undertaken during his tenure at Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), New Delhi, where he analysed the sea-based nuclear deterrence programmes of P+5 nations and explored lessons for India’s SSBN programme. Anubhav is currently pursuing his PhD in Politics and International Relations at the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Science (HASS), Murdoch University, Perth. His doctoral research is based on the field of nuclear weapons strategy with a particular focus on nuclear brinkmanship.

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

Tables and Figures

Introduction

Anil Golani

1. Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines: Why are They Everyone’s Favourite?
2. American Fleet Ballistic Missiles: Versatile Beyond ‘Assured Retaliation’
3. Hiding in Plain Sight: Russian SSBNs in ‘Bastion’ Waters
4. United Kingdom: Independent or Interdependent SSBN Power?
5. Force Océanique Stratégique (FOST): Doing Much More with Much Less
6. Dragon’s Dilemma: Bastion or Open Patrol Strategy
7. How Should India’s Silent Guardian Sail?: A Case for Six-Boomer CASD
8. Conclusion
Key Terms and Abbreviations
Index