Source : Indian Defence Updates (IDU)
Project Varsha or INS Varsha: Secret Indian Nuclear Submarine base going to be ready soon
The Project Varsha nuclear submarine base is on track for commissioning by mid-2024 that will expand facilities for future nuclear-powered submarines of the Indian Navy including recharge stations and technical support areas.
This strategically positioned base is designed to house 12 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines and nuclear attack submarines, it will also have underground pens to hide the submarines from spy satellites and protect them from enemy air attacks.
The Indian Navy is seeking foreign technical assistance pertaining to nuclear safety features for the base. While designed principally as a nuclear submarine support facility, the new base can accommodate other naval vessels because of the Indian Navy’s expansion.
This facility has been compared to the top-secret Hainan nuclear submarine base for the Chinese PLA Navy. This east coast base expansion programme by the Indian Navy was started due to India’s Look East policy and the Chinese naval expansion into the region augmenting the country’s deterrence capabilities and reinforcing its position in the Indian Ocean Region. IgMp
