India Secret Nuclear Submarine Base: India will open its new big naval base for nuclear submarines and other warships in Andhra Pradesh next year. This helps India watch China’s ships in the Indian Ocean. India is also set to make its Karwar base in Karnataka bigger.
The new base will be located near a small beach town called Rambilli. It is about 50km away from the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. This base has hidden rooms and tunnels for nuclear submarines.
“The first phase of the Rambilli base under Project Varsha is almost complete. After commissioning in 2026, it can be expanded and upgraded in phases, much like what is under way at the Karwar base under Project Seabird,” a source said. This lets submarines go into the Bay of Bengal without being seen by spy satellites. Then, they can quickly go to the Malacca Strait.
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“The first phase of the Rambilli base under Project Varsha is almost complete. After commissioning in 2026, it can be expanded and upgraded in phases, much like what is under way at the Karwar base under Project Seabird,” a senior defence source confirmed, in a TOI report.
This year, India will also get its third nuclear submarine called INS Aridhaman, which will carry big missiles. According to TOI, it can carry more K-4 missiles with a strike range of 3,500km, which is slightly bigger compared to the first two operational SSBNs, INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.
India is building its 4th submarine now and also plans to make bigger than the previous ones. These submarines will have stronger reactors. The Cabinet Committee on Security said approved building two nuclear attack submarines. These submarines will cost ₹40,000 crore. Also Phase-IIA of Project Seabird will enable Karwar to berth 32 warships.
Karwar Naval Base Expansion
On the west coast, India is upgrading the Karwar naval base in Karnataka under Project Seabird. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh recently opened new facilities worth ₹2,000 crore, including repair docks and logistics support.
Once Phase-IIA is done, Karwar will be able to hold 32 warships and submarines. Future plans (Phase-IIB) will expand it to 50 warships and 40 support vessels, reducing pressure on Mumbai’s crowded port.
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Growing Regional Tensions
India faces growing tension as China reportedly considers helping Bangladesh build an airfield in Lalmonirhat, dangerously close to India’s vulnerable Siliguri Corridor. “Any such proposal has serious security implications for India as the entire northeast, Sikkim and West Bengal will be vulnerable,” warn Bangladesh watchers, reported ET.
This development, combined with China’s growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean, has heightened New Delhi’s security concerns.
These military upgrades come at a time of shifting regional defence dynamics. Pakistan has recently resumed high-level diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh after a decade-long pause, with multiple officials visiting Dhaka this month. Analysts view this as part of a broader realignment in South Asia.
