India successfully trials nuke-capable SLBM

Photo: DRDO
Photo: DRDO

The Indian navy secretly test-fired its first indigenous nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from INS Arihant in the Bay of Bengal on August 11/12.

The B-05 missile can hit targets with nuclear warheads at a range of 750 kilometres and will be used to bolster India’s counter-strike capability.

India is now the sixth nation to have a “triad” of nuclear-capable missiles that can be launched from the air, land and underwater.

The event also marked the successful induction of the Arihant, which can carry six torpedoes and 12 B-05 or four K-4 missiles. An attempt to test-fire the K-4 SLBM from a submarine failed in December.