Foxtrot to Arihant – The story of Indian Navy’s Submarine Arm

The Indian navy’s silent but deadly sub surface fighting arm has undergone tremendous changes since the first Foxtrot submarine was inducted into the service on 8 December 1967. The submarines have been a complex mix of diesel-electric – nuclear propulsion; Soviet – Western – Indian design; and imported – licence – indigenous build. Be it a two man swimmer delivery vehicle or deep water Kilo’s and HDW’s or blue water Charlie I and Akula II class SSGN’s or strategic Arihant class SSBN’s, the navy has operated the entire spectrum of submarine types. The grit and determination of the submarine...