Project Varsha:
India is set to commission its first dedicated nuclear submarine base, INS Varsha, in Andhra Pradesh in 2026, as part of Project Varsha, and plans to operationalise its third nuclear-powered submarine, INS Aridhaman.
- Project Varsha A classified naval infrastructure project launched by the Indian Navy to build INS Varsha, a state-of-the-art nuclear submarine base.
- Located near Rambilli, about 50 km south of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
- Aim is to enhance India’s maritime strike capabilities in the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Acts as a counterbalance to China’s strategic expansion in the region.
- Underground submarine pens and tunnels for stealth deployment.
- Capacity to dock up to 12 nuclear submarines.
- Provides protection from aerial surveillance and satellite detection.
- Built near BARC Atchutapuram, enabling access to advanced nuclear infrastructure.
- Ensures rapid submarine access to key chokepoints like the Strait of Malacca.
- Counters China’s dual-use naval facilities like Hambantota (Sri Lanka) and BNS Sheikh Hasina (Bangladesh).
- Enhances India’s second-strike capability under the nuclear triad.
