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A poster welcoming INS Chakra as the newest member of the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam |
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Defence Minsiter A.K. Antony, flanked by CNS Admiral Nirmal Verma and MoS Defence M.M. Pallam Raju on the upper deck of INS Chakra during its induction ceremony |
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Defence Minister A.K. Antony disembarking INS Chakra after the ceremonials |
Among assertions from the strategic community that while the induction of the SSN was good news, India actually needed at least five more such boats to truly be able to project power, Defence Minister A.K. Antony today confirmed that the country was considering a proposal to lease a second Akula-II class SSN from Russia, but did not indicate the status of the proposal. Asked about the default comparisons with China's healthier nuclear submarine fleet, the Defence Minister said, "The INS Chakra is not aimed at any country. It is for our national security."
India's indigenous SSBN programme is to make progress this year, with the first vessel Arihant to enter a crucial phase of sea trials and a planned induction into service two years from now. Antony called upon the Arihant programme to ensure that he was invited back to Visakhapatnam soon to witness the ballistic missile submarine enter service.
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The aft portion of INS Chakra at its induction ceremony, showing the towed array sonar pod. Landing ship INS Jalashwa can be seen in the background | INS Chakra at Jetty X of the Shipbuilding Centre in Visakhapatnam, moments before it was formally inducted into Indian Navy service |