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INS Arihant formally inducted into Navy
25 Jul 2009, 2353 hrs IST
India has finally joined the A-league with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launching the indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's wife Gurusharan Kaur launched the submarine at the Vishakapatnam port in the presence of top Defence and Navy officials.
INS Arihant's launch is a big step towards India's endeavour to build a 'credible nuclear weapon triad' - the capability to fire nukes from air, land and sea. With the launch of the indigenously-built submarine, India will join the exclusive club of the US, Russia, China, France and the UK with similar capabilities.
The 6000-tonne submarine will first be put on sea trials for two years before being commissioned into full service. In these two years, the submarine will also undergo harbour trials of its nuclear reactor and other systems.
It will take about three years for Arihant to become fully operational and fire submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), the sources added.
INS Arihant formally inducted into Navy- TIMESNOW.tv - Latest Breaking News, Big News Stories, News Videos
PM launches INS Arihant in Visakhapatnam
PTI 26 July 2009, 12:17pm IST
HYDERABAD: The Indian Navy joined the global elite club on Sunday when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh formally launched the indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant at the naval dockyard of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam. ( Watch )
Prime Minister arrived at the ENC's airbase INS Dega in Visakhapatnam by a special IAF plane along with his wife at 11 am and drove straight to the naval dockyard to commission INS Arihant into the sea.
The 6000-tonne submarine will first be put on sea trials for two years before being commissioned into full service.
In these two years, the submarine will also undergo harbour trials of its nuclear reactor and other systems.
Sunday's launch coincides with Vijay Diwas marking India's triumph over Pakistani intruders in Kargil.
With the launch of the submarine India will join the exclusive club of US, Russia, China, France and the UK with similar capabilities.
The ENC headquarters in Visakhapatnam has been decked up for this historic event, navy sources said.
INS Arihant has been built under the advanced technology vessels (ATV) programme at a cost of USD 2.9 billion at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam.
PM launches INS Arihant in Visakhapatnam - Hyderabad - City - NEWS - The Times of India
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Prime Minister's remarks on the occasion of the launch of the Advanced Technology Vehicle
Following is the text of remarks made by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh on the occasion of the launch of the Advanced Technology Vehicle, India's first indigenous nuclear powered submarine-
I am honoured to be present here today on the occasion of the launch of India's first indigenous nuclear powered submarine.
I congratulate the ATV Programme and all personnel associated with it for achieving a historic milestone in the country's defence preparedness. Today's launch is a reflection of the immense technical expertise that exists in our country and the strength of our research and development organisations. More importantly, the launch represents the determination and patriotism of our technologists, scientists and defence personnel who have overcome several hurdles and barriers to enable the country to acquire self-reliance in the most advanced areas of defence technology.
The construction of a submarine is a highly demanding task by itself. For the country to develop its first nuclear submarine is a special achievement. Today we join a select group of five nations who possess the capability to build a nuclear powered submarine.
I am particularly glad that this submarine is the outcome of a productive public-private partnership. Private industry in India has evolved considerably during the last few decades and we should leverage its strengths to achieve our defence goals. I would also like to express our appreciation to our Russian friends for their consistent and invaluable cooperation, which symbolizes the close strategic partnership that we enjoy with Russia.
The sea is increasingly becoming relevant in the context of India's security interests and we must re-adjust our military preparedness to this changing environment. Our Navy has a huge responsibility in this regard.
The Government is fully committed to ensuring the defence of our national interests and the protection of our territorial integrity. We will continue to render all support to the constant modernization of our armed forces and to ensuring that they remain at the cutting edge of technology.
We do not have any aggressive designs nor do we seek to threaten anyone. We seek an external environment in our region and beyond that is conducive to our peaceful development and the protection of our value systems. Nevertheless it is incumbent upon us to take all measures necessary to safeguard our country and to keep pace with technological advancements worldwide. It has rightly been said that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
The years of hard work, dedication and perseverance that have gone into today's launch are an example worthy of emulation. They show that no task is difficult and that there is no greater power than the power of self-belief. I am confident that the lessons learnt from this launch will enable the ATV Programme to achieve even better results in the coming years.
With these few words, I once again congratulate all the organisations and personnel who have been involved in the ATV Programme and on behalf of the country, wish them continued success in the future.