India Defence Research and Development Organisation
Arihant class
India's first indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, giving India a sea-based leg of its nuclear triad. Developed under the classified Advanced Technology Vessel program with Russian design assistance for the reactor.
In service since 2016 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
450
m depth
24
kn
6,000
t
95
crew
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to India export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2016. Status: active · ~2 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Arihant class can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| VLS cells Vertical-launch missile cells on a warship, a proxy for magazine depth. Higher means more missiles before rearming. | 12 |
|---|---|
| Torpedo tubes Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships). | 6 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 111 m |
|---|
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 1x CLWR-B1 pressurised water reactor (83 to 100 MW), 1 shaft |
|---|---|
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Nuclear (pressurised water reactor) |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | USHUS hull-mounted sonar, Panchendriya sonar and tactical suite |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 2 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Defence Research and Development Organisation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
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Naval Group Suffren class Frequently asked questions
What engine does the Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class use? +
The Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class is powered by the 1x CLWR-B1 pressurised water reactor (83 to 100 MW), 1 shaft.
What is the Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class used for? +
The Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class is a submarine typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class? +
The Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class cost? +
Defence Research and Development Organisation Arihant class: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
