INS Arihant: Could India's Nuclear Submarine Trigger Arms Race?

The 'INS Arihant' was inducted as India's first nuclear submarine, July 28th. The nuclear submarine completes the trifecta of India's nuclear weapons platform. India is capable of deploying a nuclear attack by land, air and now sea. The submarine has a nuclear attack range of 700 km, with K-15 Sagarika missiles. Pakistan has released a statement describing the inauguration of the Indian nuclear submarine as an incitement of a new arms race between the two countries.

Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Naval Staff Chief, released the existence of the nuclear submarine and a time frame for it's deployment. India plans to have three nuclear submarines by 2015. Each submarine will have a compliment of twelve nuclear K-15 missiles. The Indian submarine nuclear program has grown momentum to address the asymmetric forces with opposing neighbor, China. China has a fleet of 10 nuclear subs and has taken an aggressive policy stance on military expansion.