The loss of India’s key frontline conventional diesel-electric submarine INS Sindhurakshak in a devastating explosion on August 14 has severely hit the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities. The Navy’s depleting submarine fleet strength had earlier already led to a critical situation wherein the Navy desperately wanted more submarines. The loss of the Sindhurakshak has now seen things go from bad to worse. So much so that the government could now consider emergency acquisition of submarines.
After the loss of the Sindhurakshak, India is now left with 13 conventional diesel-electric submarines and one nuclear-powered submarine taken on lease from Russia. India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant is expected to be inducted only by next year.
“Four boats, two Kilo-class and two HDW-class are undergoing refits at the Hindustan Shipyard in Vishakhapatnam and Mazgaon Docks in Mumbai respectively. So effectively, we have an operational readiness of only nine submarines in the event of a war,” said a former Navy officer.
The INS Sindhurakshak, therefore, was a prized possession. The submarine had come back from Russia after “extensive refurbishment” that had cost India over `800 crore and had rejoined active duty in the Indian Navy only in April this year. The Sindhurakshak was armed with torpedoes and Russian Klub land-attack missiles and would have been in the vanguard of any action against foreign aggression. Navy chief Admiral D.K. Joshi conceded recently that the Sindhurakshak’s gutting had “dented” the operational capabilities of the Navy.
Commander Ravindra Pathak (retired) who is now fighting for good governance in the system said, “INS Sindhurakshak was better equipped when compared with other submarines, and undoubtedly our offensive capability has gone down, especially at a time when China’s incursion is at its peak and Pakistan is flexing its muscles.”
The Navy is clearly worried, since not all submarines in its fleet are operational all the time. According to estimates, only about 60 per cent of the fleet at any given time is operational while the remaining 40 per cent undergo some refurbishment or refitting.
This would mean that the Indian Navy would have about eight submarines that are currently operational.
Submarines are usually operationally positioned at “choke points” such as straits, but the critical shortage of submarines is bound to affect this positioning. As one retired naval officer said on condition of anonymity, “The manoeuvrability and flexibility of the Navy in positioning of submarines has reduced. This will affect positioning and also offensive preparedness.” The primary function of submarines in times of conflict is to target the enemy’s surface platforms thereby denying the enemy “the use of a sea area for a certain period of time”. Submarines perform varied roles such as attacking surface and sub-surface enemy vessels, laying offensive mine-fields, blockade of enemy ports and other lines of communication, landing of reconnaissance teams for intelligence gathering and special operations.
Commenting on the Sindhurakshak disaster, another defence expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “The Navy will be compelled to operate existing submarines beyond their designed existing cycle. This can only lead to more disasters. The armed forces are being pushed to a corner to operate vintage equipment. So the cost they pay is high. The government has to ensure that at least minimum force levels are met.”
A CAG report tabled in Parliament in 2008 had warned that due to “ageing fleet and prolonged refit schedules”, the average operational availability of the Indian Navy submarines was as low as 48 per cent. The CAG report had pointed out that “the availability of submarines with the Indian Navy is much below the envisaged force level and a large number of submarines in the existing fleet have become due for decommissioning in the immediate future”.
Compare this with its neighbouring countries China and Pakistan, which are getting stronger year by year as it keeps adding more submarines into its fleets. India has never faced such shortage of submarine and by 2015, this shortage of submarine is going to touch an all-time low. According to a report prepared in the beginning of the year, by 2015 India will be left with six submarines taking in consideration factors like phasing out, including India’s first-and-only nuclear-armed ballistic missile Submarine INS Arihant.
According to the report, India has already become vulnerable, while China is strengthening its fleet by operating 45 submarines, and more importantly, planning to induct 15 more submarines in the next few years. “Since India’s submarine position is depleting and Pakistan is strengthening, by 2015, Pakistan will equal India in terms of underwater capabilities. This is not a positive development at all,” said a retired commander, who has commanded a submarine, but did not wish to be named. He added, “The loss of the most modern and powerful submarine in the Indian fleet is a great blow to the Indian Navy’s capability, particularly its offensive capability.”
According to experts, the problem seems deep-rooted, and more worrying is the fact that India is unable to replace losses such as INS Sindhurakshak, because of the government’s apathy towards its armed forces. This is both in terms of indigenous replacement or imports.
Major general (retired) Satbir Singh, vice-chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Organisation says, “If we go by the saying, ‘To be prepared for war, we must bleed in peace’, our Army should be equipped properly. In a letter written to the presidents of all political parties, we noted that with various problems like housing shortage, lack of adequate leaves and poor family life, Armymen in the enemy line end up becoming less effective. It is to the credit of our men and their resolve to defend the motherland no matter what that we are able to hold on to our positions on the ground.”

(With inputs from Parth Satam and Anand Mishra)