India, China Aim To Speed Up Nuclear Retaliatory Capability

India and China are on the urgency of developing naval arsenals preparing for the battle for energy resources in South China Sea and Indian Ocean, The Hindu reported.

The report said, India is validating its nuclear deterrent based on technological advancements of Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO).

The integration of Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLMB) on the hull of domestically developed by Arihant nuclear submarine, can fill the gap in India’s capacity to launch retaliatory second strike during a nuclear attack.

INS Arihant is still to undergo sea trials. “During the trial phase, the Arihant will test-fire the fully developed BO-5 missile as part of the sea trials,” Avinash Chander, the head of DRDO told the newspaper, refereeing to the SLBM, which can strike from a moveable platform at a maximum distance of 2,000 km.

During a second strike capability, the reaction time is the most important thing. A fast reacting, stable missile can provide response within minutes. Agni missiles can be a possibility for such inclusions.

China on the other hand has a fully developed fourth generation nuclear powered submarines, capable of targeting sea-going or land based objects with torpedoes and missiles, Chinese media reports said.

Analysts say the establishment of stable deterrents is majorly because of the competition for energy and other resources in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.